Psyche and Sound - Chapter 6

Psyche and Sound

by Orion9

Rating: PG
Genre: General/Drama

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Another really long overdue chapter… *waves HUGE apology flag*

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Chapter Six – Surface

Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, Armoury Officer, Tactical Officer and Chief of Security of the USS Enterprise, was not a happy man. Even at top warp speed, it had taken the NX-01 almost a full day to return to the lush green surface of the planet. Now, walking slightly ahead of the other members of his team, the Starfleet Officer’s eyes were dark and hostile as his boots uncaringly flattened the grass underneath them. Keeping a watchful gaze out for anything that could be construed as suspicious, he led on at a slow but steady pace, ducking repeatedly to avoid the many low branches that were in their way.

Finally coming to a stop at their next scanning site, the four-member team quickly separated into groups of two and conducted a thorough scan of the place. It wasn’t very long before everyone regrouped. Malcolm’s face grew grimmer as he listened to their report, his frustration growing at each negative answer. Giving the signal to proceed to the next location, he heaved a soft sigh, unable to get Phlox’s words out of his mind. Neurotransmitters, brain chemicals, hydrocephalus …

It was bad enough that he was extremely troubled by what was happening to Mr Tucker … Trip, whose condition had not changed since he was brought into Sickbay last night. Having to thrash about a hot, humid planet overflowing with plant life, looking for a mysterious flying bug that no one had seen before, was definitely not helping to improve his mood, nor was ineffectually fighting off what felt like a zillion blood-sucking insects that were intent on bleeding him dry. Bloody bug-infested place...

The only good news he could see so far in all of this was the assurance that these infuriating pests, currently using him as their personal drink cache, were apparently harmless. At least, that was what they’d managed to establish based on the results of T’Pol’s scientific scans and survey a week ago, although Malcolm privately thought otherwise.

He considered losing a few pints of blood to these aggravating creatures a definite sign that they were anything but harmless. As a precaution, however, they were each given a strong anti-toxin before they had departed for the surface of the planet. Not that it would help much against the bloody insect that had stung the Commander, who may just be… Malcolm quickly caught himself before the thought could progress any farther, or turn any bleaker. Hang on, think positive now …

Something landed lightly on his arm, mercifully distracting him from his contemplations and he looked down. Taking out his irritation on the unfortunate insect, he smacked it hard, a soft forceful swear escaping him as, unlike its predecessors, this one squished messily against his hand. Malcolm grimace, already regretting the excess use of force even as he curbed the impulse to just wipe the entire mess onto his uniform. Instead, reaching out, he plucked the nearest leaf and tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to wipe his hand clean. Tossing the first one away, he plucked another ... then another, his mood darkening further with every tug at the local flora.

Directly behind Lieutenant Reed, Hoshi looked up at the garbled curse. Speculating curiously about the soft hum of words that were coming from the man, the linguist picked up her pace until she was more or less beside him and took a quick peek. What she saw made her raise her eyebrows. There was a ferocious frown on Malcolm’s face and he was busy trying to get his hands clean of a familiar gooey bright green stuff. It was also quite obvious that he wasn’t having much luck at this point, watching while he discarded the soiled leaf and plucked yet another one.

The young Communications Officer shuddered as she eyed the unpleasant mess, recalling how difficult it was to get her hands clean when she’d accidentally smacked one of those things too hard herself. As if he knew what she was currently thinking about, Travis looked over from a few metres away and frowned. Catching sight of the expression on his face, she giggled softly, unable to help herself.

I’m so sorry, she mouthed at him for the fifth time since the incident half an hour ago. She still couldn’t believe what she had done to him. But it was an automatic reaction to the mess on her hands and he’d been the nearest person to her then. Shaking his head, Travis scrunched his face up at her in reply and then carried on walking. The boomer was slightly ahead of her, and she had to hide her emerging grin behind a hand at the sight of the bright green stain on his left shoulder, which unfortunately, was standing out rather starkly against his relatively clean uniform.

Her slight amusement fading as the purpose of their mission came forcibly to mind, Hoshi sighed softly, immediately seeking comfort in one recurring, solitary thought. Well, at least he hasn’t got any worse…

Glancing under her lashes at the leader of their group, who was marching resolutely onward, Hoshi wondered what he was thinking. Not that it would be very hard to guess. As it has for the past hour, her thoughts turned back to the reason why they were on the surface of an alien planet right now. Hang on, Trip. Please, just hang on…

“Anything yet?”

At Malcolm’s question, Hoshi took another quick peek at her tricorder. She shook her head, watching his face carefully, easily reading the tension there. However, the only response the Lieutenant showed at her answer was a curt nod and a slight tightening of his jaw as he continued silently onwards.

Pressing her own lips together, Hoshi suppressed the impulse to ask Malcolm if he was all right, knowing how much his friendship with the Commander had progressed during the past year. What was happening to Trip was hard on all of them, mostly because they still had no way of knowing whether he was going to be all right. She could only imagine what it was doing to the Captain and Malcolm, who were, without doubt, Trip’s closest friends on board.

The linguist chewed on her bottom lip, feeling more than a little frustrated at the apparent lack of success of the mission so far. They had been down on the planet’s surface for over two hours now but have yet to come across anything even remotely golden. Finding this insect was crucial, for her, for all of them – the idea of not having the affable, outgoing Chief Engineer as part of the crew was not something she’d liked to consider, not even for the briefest of moments.

Another sound of a bug being smacked, this time from Crewman Elizabeth Cutler, drew her attention back to their surroundings and Hoshi grimaced, sympathising wholeheartedly with the other woman. She hoped that Liz would have better luck getting her hands cleaned compared to the Lieutenant. Squaring her shoulders for what was undoubtedly a long day ahead, Hoshi silently trudged along; keeping her eyes peeled for what seemed to be, now more than ever, Trip’s only hope.

* * * *

The only single occupant in the brightly lit chamber, currently in the midst of his daily studies, was oblivious to his handsomely decorated surroundings as he pored over an ancient tome. Bent over his desk, there was a slight frown on his face while he concentrated single-mindedly on his research. Every so often, he would look away from the many books to scribble something on the parchment before him.

Suddenly, although there was nothing to indicate that anything had changed, he paused halfway in his work, looking up from his study of an old scroll. He waited quietly, bright green eyes fixed upon the door, face unreadable. Although it was a few seconds before the soft knock sounded, the aged scholar was already ready and waiting for his visitor.

“Enter …”

Taelek opened the heavy door and peered around it, seeking out his mentor. At Koerin’s nod, he entered the room, closing the door behind him. Walking as quickly as he could without actually having to run, Taelek moved towards the end of the study chamber, heading for the man seated behind the huge writing table.

Even at the considerable distance separating them, Koerin could sense the nervous excitement that was within the man. Patiently, he waited until his young protégé was standing in front of his desk before giving him permission to speak.

“Good wishes, Master Koerin.”

“Good wishes, Taelek. What is it that you wanted to see me about?”

Taelek clasped his hands behind his back, curbing the urge to hop from one foot to the other under the weight of his news. Without further preamble, he replied, “Master Koerin, the visitors … they have returned again.”

The old man nodded slowly at his apprentice’s winded announcement, remembering almost similar words being spoken only a few days ago. “And how are they this time?”

“They seemed to be conducting a search. I fear that the worst has happened.”

Koerin suppressed a sigh. He’d hoped that this day would not come but it had. In fact, almost nine dawns had passed since they last laid eyes on their visitors and he was sure that they would not be seeing any of those off-worlders ever again. It looked like he was wrong. Taking a deep breath, he remarked quietly, “Well, this certainly changes things.”

“What do we do now?” Taelek asked, looking anxiously at his mentor.

Putting down his quill, the aged scholar gently rolled up the parchment and stood up. “Come, Taelek, I think it is time we paid our visitors a visit.”

* * * * *

Swearing under his breath, Malcolm shook his left boot free from yet another cluster of wet leaves. Looking up, he eyed their surroundings moodily. They had been looking for the bloody insect for the past three hours and so far, all they’d managed to do was to get deeper into the blasted forest. From the look of things, the rest of his team were not having much luck either, he mused as Travis and Liz walked up to him, their previously clean boots covered with a thick layer of mud.

“We’ve finished the scans, Sir. There’s nothing there.”

Malcolm checked his own tricorder and shook his head. “I’m not picking up anything on my side here.”

“I’ve nothing as well,” Hoshi reported, joining the group.

“All right.” Swallowing a frustrated groan, Malcolm indicated the small path in front of them, “Let’s continue, that insect has got to be somewhere on the planet.”

As the four of them walked on, Malcolm hoped that the Captain and his team were doing a lot better than they were on the other side of the forest. He hated to admit it but he was beginning to wonder if they were ever going to find this elusive bug. Lost in his own thoughts, he’d almost missed the two heavily cloaked men that were standing so silently behind some bushes to their right. Startled by their unexpected appearance, the Tactical Officer stopped so suddenly that Hoshi almost walked into his rigid back.

“Lieutenant Reed–”

“I see them, Travis,” Malcolm replied as he lifted a hand as a signal to the rest of his team to stop moving. Reaching for his phase pistol with his right, he continued, almost to himself, “I see them…”

* * * * *

For a brief silent moment, no one moved as members of both groups quietly sized up the other side. Clasping his hands in front of him, Taelek watched curiously as the tall, dark-haired man, who appeared to be the leader of the group, slowly held up a hand, signalling to the rest of his companions. He frowned, observing that the man’s right hand had also promptly gone to a small black case at the side of his leg and was now holding an unusual looking contraption.

Taelek glanced at the rest of the man’s companions – they each had one of those things in their hands as well. He tilted his head slightly to the right; he didn’t like how those odd devices were currently being pointed at their direction. Were those weapons of some sort?

With a tinge of apprehension, he turned to his mentor and whispered, “Master Koerin, it appears that they may be armed. Perhaps we should–”

“It is all right, Taelek,” Koerin said reassuringly, putting a calming hand on his apprentice’s arm. “They are just taking the necessary precautions. After all, they have no way of knowing whether we are friend or foe.”

“But how do we know they mean us no harm?”

“These off-worlders are armed–” Koerin smiled at his young protégé’s wide-eyed look. “Yes, Taelek, those are weapons … but they would have used them by now if attack was their intention. Instead, see how the men had moved protectively in front of the women, even though they themselves are also similarly equipped? They are just taking precautionary measures…with the men facing us and the women watching their backs…”

“What do we do now?”

“We wait. It is always better for the uncertain to approach first. This way, we would not alarm them with any flawed attempts of communication.”

“And if we were wrong about them?”

The complacent expression faded from the older man’s face and he looked faintly troubled by that possibility. “I do not think we are but should it come to that, we will make sure that these four, and whoever else who may be down here with them, will never see their ship again.”

TBC
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A/N2: Thanks for reviewing Chapter Five!
Neo Getz, cryogenie: Sorry for the cliffhangers! Thanks for your great reviews!

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One person has made comments

:O i got a comment, aaaaaaw thanks. I dont mind this cliff hanger btw, long as trip stays stable....... (unlikely knowing the way fiction goes) thanks for posting this chap, gr8 one :) look farwards to more