Tomorrow is Yesterday - Chapter 6

Tomorrow is Yesterday

By Mctrip7

Rating: PG-13, a little cussin’
Genre: Suspense, Angst
Archive: Trip/Archer
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Paramount and will not be sold.
Summary: A beginning

~~~~~

CHAPTER 6

Meanwhile, as the air was improving all over the ship, people were coming around.

McKenzie, of the MACCOs, hit the com button. “Captain Archer, are you alright?”

With a phaser at his head, Archer tried to answer but it came out garbled. He cleared his throat as he croaked, “I’m alright”.

McKenzie picked up on the code and informed her team that the Captain was in trouble. They were getting their gear together to move out when the door opened. There stood Hugo and Jim, phasers drawn!

“Don’t make a move or you’re a goner,” said Hugo. “Now get in that back room.”

“Where’s the dynamite?” asked Jim.

“Dynamite! We don’t have any,” MACCO Tom said.

“Any kind of explosives will do and no more smart answers,” cut in Hugo.

As her men were jockeying for position, McKenzie spoke up. “I’ll get the compound for you. Why do you need it?” she asked as she walked in front of Hugo and Jim toward the cabinet.. She suddenly dropped to the floor, giving Jones and Reyes clear shots which they nailed. Hugo got off a shot, though, but it went into the ceiling

.“Cuff ‘em to the bed anyway,” ordered McKenzie. “We’ll come back and check on them later. Let’s move out.”

~~~~

On the Bridge Hoshi and T’Pol were still unconscious. Travis was trying to figure out what happened to the helm. It was showing that the warp core was shut down. They didn’t even have impulse power. Baker was at tactical since Malcolm was injured and Rostov had taken over for Trip. Now Travis looked around and realized there were five aliens with phasers drawn and pointing at them.

“Captain,” he said.

“Easy, Travis. We have company.” To the man standing behind the command chair, he said, “Can Travis take a look at the women? They may need medical attention.”

“Get that Engineer of yours on the line! Tell him I mean business. If he doesn’t get us moving, I’m going to start decreasing your crew, beginning with you!

Archer opened the line to engineering. “This is the Captain, please respond. Is there anyone in engineering?”

Turning to his captor, Archer said “Your men were in engineering earlier. What have they done with my crew?” His voice was dead serious.

~~~~~

In Sickbay, Trip was pacing the floor. If only he knew what was going on! If he could just get to engineering.

“Phlox, how come Malcolm’s in the chamber?”

“His esophagus has a tear in it, and I’m waiting for him to stabilize so I can repair the damage,” the Doctor confided.

“I can’t wait any longer, Doc. I’m going to engineering. There may be something I can do from there. I’d like to know how many of ‘em are on board. You said you only saw three.”

“Yes, but they were talking to others.”

“Okay, see you later.” And then he was gone.

As he moved down the corridor, Trip flipped some of the switches, dimming the lights. He heard voices a couple of times, but they always seemed to be moving away. Trip slipped into various rooms along the way. Everything was empty. They must have forced some of the Crew into one of the shuttle bays, he decided. As he neared Auxiliary Control, he saw several men in the corridor. If only he had his phaser, it wouldn’t be a problem. Well, at least, not a big problem! Trip decided to wait them out. It seemed like forever, but suddenly he heard shouting and running. The men down the way were immediately alert and calling to their comrades. They were evidently ordered to go somewhere, because they looked at each other and took off.

Trip felt like it was now or never. He raced to the door, keyed in the password and disappeared inside. He held his breath for a few seconds, but there was no challenge. First, he opened the middle drawer in the desk, reached to the very back and released the catch. A slot lifted up and he pulled a phaser out. Now he was ready! He brought the console on line, hoping the intruders wouldn’t notice.

Archer rested his left arm on his chair. He had no idea who might be there, but if no one spoke out, then it had to be a member of his crew.

Trip saw the red light come on and waited to see if anyone spoke. Then he heard Archer talking to someone. He was saying “What have you done to my engineers? At least, let the Doctor take a look at them.”

The voice that responded was the same one Trip remembered from their contact on the surface. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The alien was saying that the engineers had better get the core on line or Archer would pay.

Trip slipped to the floor as he heard someone at the door. They slowly turned the knob and pushed it open. The console was in plain sight. As they came closer, Trip was ready to make his move until the light from the console revealed a MACCO!

“Boy, am I glad to see you!” As he raised up, he was looking at the business end of her phaser.

“Robbins, it’s me, Trip! Put that thing down.”

“Commander, what are you doing here?”

“Trying to figure out what has happened. Tell me, do you all have control of this sector?”

“We’re all moving out. The men, Jim and Hugo, were taken out in the Armory. They wanted explosives. I don’t know what they were going to blow up. McKenzie is working her way toward the Bridge.”

Trip was glad he had closed the connection with the Bridge when Robbins appeared. Now he said “I can let the Captain know you all are on the move.”

Trip opened the channel again. The Captain was saying that T’Pol was coming around, but that Hoshi was still unconscious. He cut the connection. Robbins noticed his reaction to the news.

He tensed up as he said “Damn, we’ve got to get them out of there!”

“You don’t look too good, Sir. Your mouth is starting to bleed.”

Without thinking, Trip rubbed his arm across his face. “Oh, hell, now I’ve done it! I don’t have time to go back to Sickbay,” he said as he tore off a piece of his shirt and stuffed it inside his cheek. “Let’s go!”

They made their way to the Jeffries tube and began to climb. It wouldn’t take them to the Bridge, but they would be a lot closer. As they exited, they picked up Steve and Kevin, members of Malcolm’s security team.

~~~~~

On the Bridge, T’Pol was telling Archer that sensors did not show anyone left in engineering.

“Phlox to the Captain”

“Archer here”

“Captain, I’m getting calls from the crew as well as the Rigielians. The injuries are mounting, but they won’t let me leave Sickbay.”

Kirk nodded as the Doctor finished and cut the connection. “Maybe we can get some of them off the Bridge to check on their men. Did you say that there is no entry to the
Bridge except by the turbolift?”

“That’s the only way… You can use the jeffries tube to the last floor, but then you have to use the turbolift.”

“Make yourself scarce, Doc,” Kirk commented as he and Adams left Sickbay on their way to the Bridge. “Where can I get hold of a phaser, Adams? You need one too.”

Adams said “Most of the phasers are in the Armory, but we might find some in certain corridors.” He headed in that direction. As Adams opened the panel to retrieve two phasers, shots rang out! Both men ducked down the corridor the way they had come.

The alien was biding his time, hoping one of his men on hearing the shots would come to his aid. He began to edge closer, but by the time he got to the intersection, Kirk and Adams were long gone.

Hitting the intercom he said “Klor, its Dorlan. I just saw Kirk with some guy. I got a shot off, but I don’t think I hit ‘em.

Klor, on the Bridge, turned to his lieutenant. “Go see what’s goin’ on. Take Zabl with you and get rid of Kirk if you find him.”

Hoshi began to stir. T’Pol started to reach for her, but a phaser beam came dangerously close to her hand.

“She won’t be able to stand, if I don’t help her.” T’Pol glared at Klor.

Hoshi heard what they were saying and continued to moan as though trying to wake up. Archer tried to distract Klor by telling Travis that they were starting to drift and to try to keep them on course.

Rostov interrupted T’Pol, asking her why the grapler locks were loose.

Klor roared at them, starting in T’Pol’s direction just as the lift door swooshed open.

Kevin and Robbins came blasting through, taking out Klor and the alien behind communications. Trip and Steve followed, fanning out. The remaining alien took cover behind the bulk head and got a shot off at Archer, grazing his arm as he abandoned the Command Chair.

Travis was already under the helm console as Jonathan fell into Trip, who let out a yelp!

Three separate shots got the remaining alien as Kirk and Adams came on the Bridge.
Jonathan was getting up and reaching for Trip when he realized Trip wasn’t moving. He hit the intercom. “Phlox, medical emergency on the Bridge.”

McKenzie recognized his voice. “Captain, is that you? We’ve rounded up all the aliens and I’m taking them to the Brig. Is everything secure on the Bridge?”

“Everything’s under control. Dr. Phlox is on his way. Trip is down.”

TBC

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