AN:I don't own anything related to Star Trek Enterprise.
And I am sorry for the delay, been on vacation and been busy doing nothing
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Chapter VIII
Gathered
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Enterprise, the bridge
"Archer to T'Pol report."
"110 crewmen has been brought onboard captain but..."
"T'Pol?"
"Lt. Nama, ensign Carrie, ensign Backara, crewman Fossie and crewman Bonnie appear distressed somehow."
"What do you mean?"
"It seems they have no memory of where they have been for eight hours."
"Where are they now?"
"In sickbay, doctor Phlox is performing an examination."
"Are there any other crewmen that expresses the same...confusion?"
"Phlox will go through all personal but it will take time."
"I understand, report back if any progress has been made."
"I am hearing activity on the surface channels." Hoshi said alerting the rest of them.
"Keep tracking the source Hoshi." He turned to the intercom again.
"T'Pol leave all medical to Phlox and team up with lieutenant Hogan, find a way to see through that forcefield." He pointed toward the forest on the picture still on the table.
"I want a good view of what we are facing." Archer turned to face both Hoshi and Travis.
"When you where down there did you manage to scan the area?" He said curiously.
"I don't know how far it is from the shore leave sight because it is surrounded by some magnetic field that disrupts the signals." Travis explained.
"Inside the complex we only scanned when it was absolutely necessary in order to avoid the military personal." Hoshi continued. "And I am afraid that that minimal amount decreased even more when we tried to come in contact with you."
Archer gave her a questioning look.
"We had to modify one of the scanners to be able to reach you, all communicators had been blocked or forgotten at various places." Travis filled in seeing the captain's look of confusion. "Why would the junior crew be so careless, that doesn't make sense." Archer mused.
"Something must have happened when we were away." Hoshi said.
"I intend to find out what." The captain returned.
"Rig it up in the lab and try to get some useful information out of it."
"Ship coming from the upper atmosphere!" Ensign Russo reported.
"Belay that!" Archer glanced at Travis. "Evasive manoeuvres! Red alert, all hands report to stations, transporter room break off, shields are coming up!"
"It's not the same one." Ensign Russo continued to report.
" Archer to armoury, weapon compliments?"
"Two hull phasers, three torpedo hatches in the forward section." Lieutenant Hogan answered. "Backwards?"
"Scanning, two phasers but no torpedo hatch!"
Archer glanced at Travis. "Put us behind!"
He then glanced over at Hoshi. "Hoshi try hailing them."
"Already have sir they are not responding."
T'Pol came through the door and instantly grabbed the railing as Enterprise where hit by twin phasers. Archer quickly moved over to the tactical station, assessing the situation as Hogan walked up from the lift.
"Hogan I want a full spread of torpedoes on my mark."
Ensign Russo rapidly moved out of the chair and Hogan took his place. "Ready to launch."
"Good, launch torpedo tubes one and two, now!"
T'Pol moved over to her scanner. "I am reading a power loss on the starboard side." She reported.
"Increased activity on the channels." Ensign Sato said.
"Can you tap into them?"
Hoshi let her hands fly on the console giving him quick but reassuring look. "I am doing my best captain."
"They are dead in the water, I don't think they pose a threat." Michael Hogan watched the display in front of him.
"It is a trap lieutenant Hogan and we are not gonna walk right into it."
"Then what are we going to do sir?"
"We are going to show them we know about there little game, full stop."
"Full stop." Travis announced.
"Come on chancellor Ajin show me your next move." Archer said to no one in particular setting his jaw.
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Beach, flashback
25 years from the present or Malcolm 10 years
"Don't just stand there boy get into the boat!"
"I'd rather stay on the shore sir."
"You are disgracing the family tradition Malcolm."
"Please father."
"A Reed don't beg! Get your ass in the boat!"
"Yes sir."
10 years from the present or Malcolm 25 years
"Was the ocean too small for you?"
"No the boat was too small father."
His mother suddenly interrupted the conversation. "I love you Malcolm and Stuart does too even if he doesn't show it."
"I don't know how long I will be gone or if I will ever come back, was his only replay. I am sorry but being in the navy was not my destiny."
"You have spent too many hours with those space hippies." Stuart muttered
"Starfleet academy." Malcolm corrected him.
"Very well Ensign."
20 years from the present or Malcolm 15 years
His friend held up a poster in front of him. It didn't display the ocean as many at home did instead it pictured a planet far away in the galaxy.
"It took 20 years to get there and back on impulse." His friend said excited.
"But it wont do that anymore." He continued.
"How do you know that?"
"Henry Archer's warp engine Malcolm! Well it's not a hundred percent yet but it will."
"I am not very updated on Starfleet, my father says it's only for the ones that didn't succeeded in the navy."
"Is that what you believe?" His friend asked sadly.
"I don't know."
"Get there Malcolm and get yourself an opinion of your own."
He looked up in the sky. "You see space is the final frontier because behind the stars lies eternity."
3 years from the present
"Shuttlepod two to Enterprise." Trip said trying to clear his foggy mind.
"Only static interfernce." Malcolm said as if Trip hadn't heard.
Trip moved over to the co-pilot's seat. "Hoshi?"
"The discharge that hit her was quite strong, we need Phlox. She is okay for now but it probably wont be for long." Malcolm said checking her pulse and moved forward.
An alarm suddenly echoed in the cabin. "Hull integrity down to critical!" Malcolm screamed over the sound.
"I see it." Trip said refocusing on the navigation.
"There is nowhere to land, only water!" Malcolm complained feeling the panic rising.
"We have no choice. I have lost helm control!" Trip shouted over the noise and Malcolm rushed back to shield Hoshi as the shuttle splashed down in the ocean.
Malcolm awoke from the water that licked his skin.
"Are you all right!?" Trip asked from behind him.
"Ask me later."
"We have to get out we are leaking."
"Too much water...will be submerged...too much water" He mumbled.
Present time
Water, he lay in water! He opened his eyes in panic but instead of being on a sinking shuttle he lay on the rocky beach barely touched by the water.
Why was he here? Slowly he pulled himself further up on the shore away from the frightening water. Exhausted by the little move he glanced up in the air, his eyes stopping at a high cliff. He closed his eyes, his whole body ached, he couldn't go on.
Malcolm let his head rest on the rocks as blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth but he knew know that water was not his enemy, it had saved his life.
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Enterprise, the bridge
"Channel one decoded sir." Hoshi reported with a smirk on her face.
"Speakers." Archer said.
"...you doing? You should have finished the job a long time ago!"
"Why so bothered chancellor, you have nothing to do with this...officially."
Ajin pretended not to have heard the last word. "Admiral the Enterprise should be in custody by midnight."
"Enterprise, so that's her name. Why the sudden change in interest chancellor?"
"The body has not been found and all shore leave personal is in the process of beaming up. It has not occurred to you that he might be still alive?" The chancellor said anxiously.
The admiral laughed. "After that fall?"
Archer's face became darker the further the conversation went on.
"And as for the ship situation, I have everything under control." Admiral T'ann said.
"Really, why is it not attacking then?" Ajin said in a mocking tone.
"Oh it will."
Archer waved at Hoshi who immediately cut off the conversation. The captain turned to his science officer for an opinion. "What do you think?"
"One of them has been fatally wounded and since it possesses such a problem to the Tendarians it is logical to assume that the other one is already dead."
"T'Pol it is Trip and Malcolm you are talking about!"
"I am aware of that captain and I am not saying that we shouldn't try and get them back but you have to face reality."
"I have another theory."
"Travis?" Archer asked curiously.
"They would want information about the Enterprise right?" He looked at Archer as for confirmation. "So who says either Trip or Malcolm are dead? One of them might be interrogated about every system onboard as we speak."
Archer turned back to his first officer. "No offence T'Pol but I like Travis conclusion better."
"Sir." Hoshi interrupted. "What are we going to do with our persuaders?"
"Target their main propulsion lieutenant Hogan."
He glanced at Hoshi and smiled with satisfaction. "Why don't we give them a surprise."
"Firing on a vessel not presenting any immediate danger is a direct violation of..."
"You heard the admiral T'Pol."
"I will see past the event then."
If Archer didn't know better he could have sworn the Vulcan smiled.
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To be continued