SIX
Three days later the Enterprise dropped from warp speed and entered a planetary system. Travis announced they had reached the original launch point of the asteroid. It was a system with four planets.
"It's the second planet," said Farris.
"Travis, plot a course," ordered Archer. "Standard orbit. Hoshi, see if you can raise any authority on the planet."
"Aye, sir," said Hoshi.
"Don't worry," said Archer, "I'm going to do everything I can to help. You won't be going back into that prison if I have anything to say about it."
"Thank you Captain," said Farris. "I appreciate everything you've done."
As the Enterprise entered standard orbit around the planet Hoshi reported there was still no response to their hails.
"I don't understand," said Farris. "Before I was exiled they already had highly sophisticated radio technology."
"I believe I can explain," said T'Pol. "Sensors are detecting numerous large cities, an extensive travel system, as well as many other indications of a once thriving civilization. However, it all appears to be in a great state of disrepair. I am also not detecting any life forms. The atmosphere is composed of methane, carbon dioxide and lethal levels of radiation. Tessock appears to be a dead planet."
"Dead?" questioned Farris. "How?"
"There are a large number of explosive impact craters scattered around the planet," said T'Pol. "I am also detecting numerous underground silos. All appear to be open and empty."
"All of the cities show sighs of massive destruction. It would appear there was a war on the planet. Even considering the minimal yield of an explosive warhead, the number of silos indicated more than enough to have devastated the planet."
"They destroyed themselves," said Archer. "T'Pol, any idea how long ago this happened?"
"Based on established known decay rates," said T'Pol, "I would calculate at just under 4,000 years. Approximately the same time the artificial asteroid was launched."
"There's no one left?" asked a stunned Farris.
"No," said T'Pol. "Radiation levels are so high not even microbes or bacteria could survive for long. The planet is uninhabitable by life as we understand it."
"All, dead," muttered Farris. "Because of me?"
"We don't know that," said Archer. "There could be any number of reasons why this happened. Maybe some of the people were able to get away to another planet."
"We didn't have that kind of technology," said Farris. "My prison was a first attempt, and it had no propulsion system. We weren't even close to warp technology as far as I know. No, no one got off the planet. They all died down there. I'm the last of my people."
"Travis," said Archer, "lay in a course away from the planet. Get us out of here."
"Aye sir," said Travis.
As the Enterprise left the system, Farris just stared at the field of stars on the view screen, no expression on his face.