Three Days Too Die
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: Enterprise or any of their characters.
A/N: Merry Christmas! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! Thank you again for your comments and reviews!
T'Pol had rested as well as she could. She'd waited until she just couldn't lie still a moment longer, her logic told her that her worry was pointless, that it didn't contribute any measure of control to the situation and was thus a waste of energy on her part. But there was something in her that refused to listen to this logic, a part that didn't want to be cold and calculated. This emotional side scared her more than anything she had ever encountered before. Abruptly she broke away from her thoughts and made her way from her quarters to Sickbay, giving in to the unrelenting need to be by Trip's side.
Finally, after what seemed like a much longer time than usual, she entered Sickbay. Immediately she made her way to Trip's bio-bed, oblivious to Phlox as he checked on other patients. Trip was still sleeping, so she sat quietly beside him, gently taking his hand into her own.
To see him like this terrified her, another emotion that she typically had full control over. Something about Trip ripped through all of her control and caused her emotions to surface stronger than even when she was first learning to suppress them. For that very reason she had tried to stay away from him, but she was always drawn back, time after time, despite her logic and so-called control.
Movement from Trip jerked her from her troubled musings and she quickly let go of his hand. "T'Pol." He mumbled weakly, eye lids moving furiously as he tried to force them open.
"It's okay Commander." She said hastily, trying to keep all emotion from her voice, wondering if he'd known she was here or if it was just a coincident.
"Doctor Phlox, it appears the Commander is waking up." She called out to Phlox, who turned from his work to assess the situation. As he reached the bio-bed, Trip was extending a trembling hand towards T'Pol, who grasped it carefully.
"T-t'pol? Are y-you hur-rt?" He asked, his breathing labored. "No, Commander, I am fine. We are safe." T'Pol replied, squeezing his hand slightly, greatly relieved that he was cognizant. Trip nodded weakly when he heard her say she was fine, but he zoned out before she finished speaking, his mind still trying to piece things together.
When he realized that he had zoned out, he fought his way back to the present moment, head still pounding and body protesting every breath. "T-tell Archer I-I'm sorr-ry." He ground out between labored breathes.
"For what Trip?" T'Pol slipped and used his nickname, more worried about why he was apologizing than keeping her now rampant emotions in check. "F-for holding us b-back… getting u-us captured…" he mumbled, moving uncomfortably, guilt clouding his fevered eyes.
Phlox moved into Trip's line of sight and placed a comforting hand on T'Pol's shoulder. Suddenly the monitor connected to Trip began to beat faster. T'Pol looked back at Phlox, confused as to what was happening, before looking franticly back to Commander Tucker.
Trip must have misunderstood her confused expression and thought she was frightened because he instantly jerked her hand, with more strength than she thought possible, and pulled her away from Phlox. He grunted in pain and feverishly glared at Phlox. "Don't touch her!" He yelled with as much force as he could muster.
Phlox stepped back, confused momentarily before he realized what was happening. He moved back farther and whispered to T'Pol, "He believes that he is still on the planet. I believe that whatever is wrong with him has altered his memory of the last twenty-four hours."
T'Pol moved closer to Trip, trying to relieve the tension, and whispered back, "What do we do?" Phlox watched as Trip's grip on T'Pol loosened, his body weak from whatever was attacking him. "Perhaps you could attempt to tell him that we are on the Enterprise and that the Captain is okay. He may be more inclined to listen to you."
T'Pol nodded, looking down at Trip, who was still doing his best to glare at Phlox, unaware of their previous exchange. "Trip, it's okay." His eyes darted between her and Phlox. When he didn't respond in any other way, she continued, "We are on the Enterprise, the Captain is fine. We are okay." When she finished she glanced back at Phlox and saw that he was staring intently at the monitor that was still beating at an alarming rate.
Trip was puzzled, something was wrong, he knew it. His surroundings were still a little fuzzy, all that he could clearly make out was T'Pol… and whoever the figure behind her was. When he'd seen the hand on her shoulder and the look on T'Pol's face, he just knew that the figure meant trouble. His pounding head and his frustration at not being able to clearly grasp the situation were not helping to make things any clearer.
Trip's wearied mind finally registered T'Pol's statement that the Captain was fine, and his breathing began to slow down, but then he caught sight of her anxious glance to the figure behind her and a whole new suspicion took root.
His mind instantly started racing, why was she glancing anxiously behind her? Why hadn't the figure introduced themselves, if they were actually safe? Why wasn't Archer here? All of these thoughts rushed through his mind, leaving him with one coherent thought. The natives of the planet are using Archer as leverage to get T'Pol to trick him into feeling safe so that they can exact information, get revenge for being insulted, or whatever was going on in their crazy alien brains.
Trip swore to himself that he would never thank an alien woman for anything ever again, it was just too much trouble. With a tremendous amount of energy, he realized that T'Pol had started speaking again, but he was unable to comprehend what she was saying as his mind was suddenly preoccupied by a terrible pain.
His arm suddenly felt as if it was on fire, little tiny fires that burned and stung whenever he moved. Managing to slightly lift his head, he did his best to determine what was causing the pain. The red, angry looking scratches that covered his arms briefly brought back a memory of him in his quarters. However, the memory was distorted and seemed out of place.
When he couldn't hold his head up any longer, he allowed it to fall back onto whatever he was lying on. But the movement caused more pain to flair across his midsection, he'd never imagined that this much pain was possible, and he groaned in agony. The pounding in his head was increasing and all he could think about was how much he wished for something cold to lessen the terrible heat.
Phlox watched with interest as Trip lifted his head and examined himself. He hoped that somehow T'Pol had been able to get through to him, to help him better understand what was going on. However, his hopes were dashed slightly when Trip stopped responding to her. He was further concerned when Commander Tucker dropped his head back onto the bio-bed and an agonizing groan escaped his lips.
When Trip continued to groan, Phlox stepped forward to adjust the amount of pain medicine that he was giving the Commander. He was caught off guard by Trip's sudden reaction to his movement. The Commander jerked, causing himself more pain, and again reached for T'Pol, having let go of her hand when he appeared to be examining his arms.
Trip didn't know what was going on, as anything T'Pol said sounded as if it were coming through ten carbon filters. When the figure continued to advance, having paused momentarily, he knew that he had to do something. He realized that whatever he could do would be limited, but he didn't get to where he was in life without pushing the limits.
Which may or may not be part of the problem, he thought grimly to himself amidst the pain and pounding. In one swift move he made to sit up, forgetting about the restraints that were still loosely around his chest. He'd managed to pull T'Pol away from the figure and out of the line of danger, but before he could reach a full sitting position from which to strike the figure, the restraints made themselves known and he was jerked unmercifully back.
But, again, his desire to protect T'Pol and find the Captain superseded his need for self-preservation. He continued to struggle as the figure, which he was now sure was an alien, came closer still. The alien's hands were extended, but Trip didn't trust that their intentions were good. His suspicions were confirmed when the alien began speaking in an agitated and angry tone of voice.
"Commander, I need you to relax, you are only hurting yourself." Phlox stated, slight agitation creeping into his voice, an overflow of the frustration and confusion he was feeling in response to Commander Tucker's predicament. When the Commander continued to struggle, Phlox was left with no choice.
"I am sorry, Sub-Commander T'Pol, I must sedate him for his own protection." Phlox moved to grab the needed medicine. T'Pol looked at Trip, who was still struggling. He had pulled her away from Phlox with a strength she didn't know he possessed in his current state. She understood what Phlox had to do, as her worry for Trip was growing with every grimace and ragged breath that he breathed.
Carefully, despite Trip's valent efforts, Phlox managed to inject Trip with a sedative. It didn't take long for it to take effect. Trip fought with all he had, but ultimately, he was no match for the sedative and his body's desperate need for rest.
When he had finally fallen into a drug induced slumber, Phlox breathed a little easier. "Thank you for stopping by T'Pol. I apologize for what you just witnessed, the Commander is confused and disoriented." T'Pol just shook her head, resigned to what the Doctor had to do, but wishing that there was another way to get through to Trip.
"Understandable, Doctor. You did what you could and what needed to be done." T'Pol said, doing her best to let Phlox know that she didn't blame him.
"Please let me know if he awakens or if I am needed for any other reason." T'Pol said, before nodding and leaving Sickbay, her shoulders straight with determination, which Phlox recognized as her attempting to keep her emotions in-check. What Phlox missed as she hurried on her way was a single, forbidden tear stealing its way down her cheek.
"How is he, Phlox?" Archer asked as he strode into Sickbay some hours after T'Pol had left. "I'm afraid he isn't doing as well as I'd like, Captain." Phlox answered as he turned to face the Captain. "T'Pol came by earlier, her timing was perfect as the sedative I had previously given him was about to wear off. At first, he seemed receptive to her, but then he became troubled and delirious, I had no choice but to sedate him again. In his delirious state, he was only hurting himself."
Nodding with a solemn look on his face, Archer walked to stand beside Trip's bio-bed. He noted how pale Trip was. Other than that, his condition appeared to be the same as it had been earlier, minus the seizures. "Has his fever dropped at all, Doctor?"
"No, I'm afraid it hasn't. I am keeping him hydrated and we have already gone through several ice packs. I hope that his fever will take care of whatever is causing this." Phlox said, adjusting something in Trip's IV.
"You mean your tests haven't revealed anything?" Archer asked anxiously. He'd thought that Phlox would have figured it out by now.
"No, they haven't. I have only been able to treat the Commander's symptoms and keep him as comfortable as possible. However, his body is becoming more and more fatigued. His brain is also showing unusual activity. I believe that whatever he is suffering from is also a hallucinogen."
"Is there anything that I can do?" Archer asked, his worry for his friend once again evident in his voice. Gently he placed his hand on Trip's shoulder. "I'm sorry Captain, all that is to be done is to wait on the other tests I am running and see if any new symptoms began to display themselves. Hopefully the symptoms will lead me to the cause."
Archer was about to respond when he noticed that Trip's breathing had become irregular. "Phlox, when was that sedative supposed to wear off?" He asked, his full attention now on Trip. "Actually, it wore off fifteen minutes ago, the Commander has been resting on his own. Why do you ask, Captain?"
"Something's not right."
Phlox turned back to the Commander, moving to check his vitals and responses. "This is strange." He stated as he flashed a light in Trip's eye, the pupal not dilating. After checking a few other things, Phlox turned solemnly to face Archer. "It appears that the Commander has fallen in to a coma."
"What? Why? How bad is the coma? What's causing it?" Archer stopped to breathe before opening his mouth to ask more questions when one of Phlox's machines beeped.
Ignoring Archer's questions, Phlox hurried to the machine and looked at the screen. "This is intriguing." Phlox said, examining the results and trying to figure out what it was about this situation that suddenly seemed familiar to him.
"Of course!" Phlox suddenly exclaimed, shaking his head, it was all coming together. Quickly he moved back to Trip's side and began examining his arm. Finally, he knew what needed to be done, he knew how to save the Commander.
"What is it?" Archer asked anxiously. He was almost too afraid to believe that the Doctor had good news, as he didn't want to have his hope crushed. Trip meant a lot to him, he had stuck by his side when many others abandoned him. His sense of humor often helped Archer to relax and his intelligence helped Archer gain a new perspective on many different issues. There were so many things about Trip that contributed to their bond as brothers and as friends, that Archer didn't have the words to describe it all. Trip's friendship was invaluable.
After a moment, Phlox began speaking, "Well, Captain, it appears that Commander Tucker has been poisoned by a rare toxin. I am familiar with this toxin only because we encountered in on my planet. That was many, many years ago. But, as this predicament exhibits, it appears that the rare toxin reacts differently with different species. That must be why I was unable to recognize it at first." Phlox explained, again lost in his thoughts.
"Well what can you do? Do you know of an antidote?" Archer asked, relieved that they were finally making some headway, but still alarmed that they were dealing with some kind of toxin.
"The only antidote there is has to be made from the toxin's origin." Phlox said, a grave look coming across his features.
"That means we have to go back to the planet, doesn't it?" Archer asked, leaning wearily against the bio-bed beside Trip's own bed.
"It would appear so, Captain." Phlox answered unnecessarily. "How long can his body withstand the toxin?" Archer asked reluctantly.
"I'm afraid his body will only be able to hold out until tomorrow evening. From my knowledge of what we encountered on my planet, the toxin takes about three days to...eliminate...the subject. However, it is reacting differently to this species, so it may be more time…or it may be less."
"Thank you, Doctor." Archer said, before moving to the comm in Sickbay. "Archer to the Bridge."
"Yes, Captain?" Mayweather responded, curiosity, but not urgency, in his voice.
"I need you to turn the ship around. We have to go back to the planet. Full speed Ensign."
"Yes Sir." Came his response, a sense of urgency now taking root in his voice, across the comm as Archer moved back to Trip's bedside.
"Phlox, will the coma affect his chances?" Archer asked hesitantly, again taking in Trip's condition. His brow creased in worry as he awaited the Doctor's response.
"Actually Captain, I believe the coma may help. Theoretically, it will give his body a chance to rest. However, it has yet to be determined exactly what the mind does while in this state. Since this toxin does have hallucinogenic tendencies, he could be caught up in a dreamlike experience." Phlox responded, moving to again check Trip's vitals.
Archer sighed, perhaps the coma is a good thing, he thought to himself. Then his thoughts took a dark turn. "How likely is it that he will wake up from this coma?" He hesitantly asked Phlox.
"It…is hard to say. It could be hours…or it could be days. Much will depend on the cure to the toxin."
Archer nodded solemnly before taking a seat beside Trip's bed. "I have a few free moments before I need to inform my officers of what's happening. I'd like to spend them here. If you could gather all the information that you could about this toxin, the climates in which it grows, etc., I am going to have T'Pol examine the data from the planet and determine where a safer zone would be for us to gather it from."
"Yes Captain." Phlox said before walking to another part of Sickbay. Archer turned his thoughts back to Trip. Knowing that these next few hours would be vital to the planning of the retrieval of the antidote and saving Trip's life, he wanted to spend just a few minutes by his friend's side. He felt a renewed urgency and time with Trip, even if he was in a coma, was more precious now that he knew it might be running short.
Pushing thoughts of an hour glass running out of sand to the side, he refused to give up hope. He knew that getting the antidote was going to be difficult, and that the coma complicated things…but Trip was a fighter, this wasn't the end. He clasped Trip's hand in his own, resting his head on their hands. Breathing slowly to calm his racing heart, he just sat there, lost in his memories and praying that everything worked out, well aware of the odds that they faced.
After a few moments had passed, he took a fortifying breath and stood, mentally preparing himself to get everything in order to save his best friend's life. This was going to be another long night. Ignoring the soreness of his own injury, he walked out of Sickbay with one last look at Trip and a prayer sent heavenward for his best friend's life.