Psyche and Sound

Psyche and Sound

by Orion9

Rating: PG
Genre: General/Drama

Disclaimer: Enterprise and all related characters belong to Paramount. No profit is being made here. In short, no own. No money. Please don’t sue.

A/N: This is set roughly around early Season Two. Speaking of which, we’ve only reached Season Two’s Cogenitor so any similarity in plot, planets, characters, etc, is purely coincidental. I’m also not sure if anyone has used this storyline before so, advance apologies if you had. Everything is entirely by chance.
Initially meant to be a one shot but it somehow evolved into a multi-chaptered story midway. Don’t ask me, I have absolutely no idea how it happened… o.O Bad bunny…

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Chapter One – Encounter

“And how was I s’pposed to know that?! It’s not that I can read minds or anythin’ here!”

With that parting shot, Commander Charles ‘Trip’ Tucker III stalked away, livid, wishing that he was anywhere else but on the surface with the infuriating Vulcan. And to think that he was the one who’d asked for an opportunity to participate in this survey mission of the planet’s surface just a few short hours ago. Well, at least now he knew the reason for that odd expression that had flashed briefly on the Captain’s face before he’d agreed to the request.

Without moving from beside the trees that she’d been studying before the disagreement broke out, T’Pol looked at the Chief Engineer’s fast disappearing figure, her delicate features betraying none of what she was thinking. There was no question about it. That man was undoubtedly the most emotional, annoying and impossible, not to mention illogical, being she had ever come across. She suspected that she was in for a lot of meditation time when they got back to the Enterprise this evening.

Turning determinedly back to the plant life before her, T’Pol continued with her scans, while trying her best to not waste any more time thinking about her exasperating companion. It was initially easier said than done but the different sentient life forms on the surface helped. They were proving to be an interesting study, in addition to the surface gravity of the planet, which was curiously weaker, although not by much, than the ones of Earth or on Vulcan.

Occasionally making brief notes of the relevant results, T’Pol was about finished with her preliminary scans when a soft cry reached her ears. Immediately identifying it as the Commander’s, the young Science Officer hurried towards where it had come from and found him seated on the ground beside Shuttlepod One, appearing more than a little dazed. Crouching down beside him, she immediately ran a bioscan, looking him over.

“What happened, Commander? Are you injured?”

At T’Pol’s question, Trip focused his eyes on her face and recoiled involuntarily in reaction. There were two of her! One was enough to drive him crazy at times, what was he going to do with two Vulcans running around the ship?! Before he could backpedal away, T’Pol and her twin slowly merged, becoming one once more. He stared at her speechlessly, momentarily bemused by how real everything had looked and felt.

“Commander? Are you all right?”

Trip was still trying to make sense of what just happened when her voice penetrated the sea of confusion that he’d fallen into. Blinking, he focused bewildered eyes on her.

“I … I don’t know,” he shook his head. “This … flash of gold … It jus’ flew out of t’bushes an’ stung me in the arm. I think it was a … a bug.”

She raised an eyebrow at his answer and slowly sat back on her haunches.

“You were attacked by an insect?”

Although her voice was in its usual unemotional tone, his temper somehow flared up all over again at her question.

“It was a huge bug, al’right?” Trip said defensively, a slight flush reddening his cheeks as he rolled up his cuff, showing her the distinctive angry welt that was on his wrist. “Look!”

Studying the swelling for a moment, T’Pol arched an eyebrow once again but made no other comment. Standing up slowly, she scrutinised him with a level gaze.

“We shall return to Enterprise at once.”

“What! Why? We’re not done yet,” he protested, waving a hand at the nearby foliage. “There’s still half o’ the area left!”

“We can always return later to complete the scans. You need to allow Doctor Phlox to take a look at that wound. Since we still do not know much about the fauna on this planet, that sting might have adverse consequences on the human physiology.”

Trip got to his feet as well, brushing off the leaves that still clung to his uniform.

“Look,” he muttered darkly, glaring at the Vulcan. “I’m fine.”

“You are being unreasonable.”

Trip scowled at T’Pol quietly spoken comment, watching silently while she contacted and briefed the other two members of the Science Department who were currently conducting their scans on the other side of the forest. He knew that she was right but a small part of him rebelled against agreeing with her.

The very last thing that he needed right now was another visit to Sickbay. He’d already spent more time there than he liked, too much time, in his opinion. So what if he was currently having a headache? It wasn’t like he hadn’t had one of those before.

Trying his best to ignore the throbbing, he reiterated stubbornly, his accent suddenly more pronounced whilst he grounded out the words through gritted teeth, “I’m tellin’ ya, I’m fine.”

Before he could voice the rest of his thoughts, which were mainly about overcautious scientists, the pounding ache abruptly intensified. It was excruciating, as if white-hot razor-sharp nails were currently being pounded into his head. Caught off guard by the blinding pain, he bit back a moan while he closed his eyes, waiting for it to pass.

It didn’t.

“You do not look fine, Commander,“ T’Pol countered evenly, watching him sway a little on his feet, one hand rubbing absently at his temple.

He didn’t reply; all of his energy was currently focused on his rapidly escalating headache. Raising the other hand to his head when another wave of dizziness assailed him, Trip looked up at his crewmate, his face ashen. Maybe returning to the ship right now wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“You know what, T’Pol?” he said with some effort, his words slurring. “I think yer might be right ‘bout goin’ back…”

She watched, alarm passing briefly behind her eyes, as Tucker fell heavily back to the ground; his voice was barely a whisper at the end of his final sentence. By the time she reached his side, the engineer was curled up in a foetal position with his head half-covered by one arm, eyes closed. She quickly felt for a pulse, relieved to find a steady, albeit weak, one. Pulling out her communicator, she flipped it open.

“T’Pol to Enterprise.”

“Sub-Commander!” Archer’s reply came back almost right away, his voice abnormally loud in the enveloping silence of the forest. “How’s everything down there?”

“I am afraid that Commander Tucker has suddenly been taken ill. We are returning to Enterprise now.”

There was a heartbeat of a pause before the Captain responded tersely, his concern obvious in his voice, “Phlox and his team will be waiting when you both get back here. Archer out.”

On the NX-01, the bridge crew exchanged worried looks while the ship’s Chief Medical Officer was promptly informed about the incoming medical emergency.

* * * * *

“This is most regrettable,” a hooded figure remarked softly to his companion as they tracked the progress of the small spacecraft into the afternoon sky with troubled eyes.

“We were too late! What should we do now?” the younger of the two asked anxiously, one hand shading his from the sun’s glare. He was similarly attired, the colour of his robe blending in perfectly with the surrounding environment.

“We wait.”

“But, Master Ko–“

A raised hand stopped his protest in mid-sentence. He quieted and bowed respectfully at the other man.

“Be patient, young Taelek. The right time will come.”

“But, Master Koerin … what if … what if it is too late?”

The old man glanced at his youthful apprentice for a moment before gazing back up at the sky. The small craft was now a white speck against the dark blue hue. The tiny dot soon passed through the planet’s atmosphere, vanishing into the space beyond. He sighed. t regrettable indeed…

The elder’s voice was low when he finally answered, his tone resigned, “Then, nothing will save that young man. He will die.”

* * * *

“How do you feel, Commander?”

“Jus’ peachy, Doc,” Trip mumbled. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, inwardly apologising to the good doctor for his gruff tone. It was an automatic response caused by the fact that he was more than a little grumpy to find out that, despite his best efforts, here he was again, back in Sickbay. Making sure that he kept his head still, he sat up slowly from the biobed, grimacing a little when the throbbing in his head increased marginally.

Sensing the young engineer’s discomfort, Phlox filled a hypospray and injected the contents into the side of the patient’s neck. Trip flashed him a grateful look when the severe pain gradually subsided into a dull throb.

“Thanks, Doc.”

“You’re welcome, Commander. Are you sure that you feel all right? You’ve been unconscious for more than three hours.”

Trip gave a sluggish nod, his eyes never leaving his bare feet while he studiously avoided the gazes of the people who were standing around him.

“What was wrong with me?” he asked at last.

“You suffered an allergic reaction to whatever bit you down at the planet,” the doctor answered with his usual enthusiasm. “I’ve given you an anti-toxin to counteract the venom so you should be feeling quite all right soon enough.”

“What happened down there?”

That was from Archer, who till now, had stood silently at the foot of the biobed. Considering the question for a moment, Trip finally looked up at his commanding officer and best friend.

“I dunno, Cap’n,” he shrugged. “I was jus’ goin’ to get somethin’ from the ‘Pod when this … um … bug …, I think, flew out of the bushes and headed straight at me. I raised my arm to stop it from hittin’ me directly in the face …”

“And it stung you in the wrist instead…” Archer finished, looking down at Trip’s arm.

“Yeah…”

Following the Captain’s gaze, Trip also studied the ugly welt on his right wrist. It’d started to blister, causing the area around it to turn red and contrast starkly with the rest of his skin. Touching the injured area gingerly with one finger, he took a deep breath and then continued, “I felt woozy after that. The next thing I knew, I was back here.”

“For that, you can thank the Sub-Commander for her quick response,” Phlox spoke up cheerfully. “You were already convulsing by the time she got you back here. We managed to get you stabilised just in time.”

At the doctor’s revelation, the engineer’s head snapped up, grateful blue eyes encountering tranquil brown ones. T’Pol met his stare without any change in expression whatsoever as she waited for his next move.

“Thanks,” Trip whispered after a time, still holding her gaze.

With a graceful dip of her head, T’Pol replied, “You’re welcome.”

TBC

Continue to Chapter 2

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Two folks have made comments

Sounds promising, can't wait for more. I'm interested in finding out who those two beings are.

I've already read this chapter over at fanfic but happy to read it again. Wonderful start can't wait for more.!!