Pieces in a Game

Pieces in a Game

by plumtuckered

Genre: Drama/Angst
Rating: R

A/N - This is another stand-alone story and it takes place before the episode "Cogenitor". I managed to get myself tangled up in the Temporal Cold War with this one so hopefully it all makes sense.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own the characters of Enterprise but yes, I do enjoy them.

Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated!

PIECES IN A GAME

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Chapter 1

"That was an interception! Hey ref, open your eyes!"

"Sit down, Trip. You're blocking the screen," laughed Captain Jonathan Archer. He reached out and grabbed the arm of his chief engineer and long time friend Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III and pulled at him. The younger man reluctantly took his seat on the floor again then grabbed a handful of pretzels in frustration. He leaned back against the side of the bed with a grunt.

"Ah, look at that. Both his feet were in-bounds. Clear as day!" he groaned, his mouth full.

Jon chuckled. "Instant replay used to matter years and years ago but not now, Trip. Sorry, but they're not going to change the call."

"But it was an interception, Cap'n. We should have the ball."

Jon reached for a handful of pretzels, enjoying his first night off in over a month. Trip had been working non-stop, too, the endless stream of mishaps involving ships systems monopolizing all his time. Finally they both managed an evening off and Jon didn't hesitate to invite his friend to watch the game. Now he sat back and simply enjoyed the company of the man he considered family. Being around the younger man always helped ease the weight Jon sometimes felt bearing down on his shoulders. Trip just had a way about him.

The two friends continued to watch the football game with Trip occasionally yelling at the referees. Jon sat on the bed next to Porthos, trying to hide his amusement. He always found watching the engineer's reactions much more entertaining than the game but he would never tell his friend that.

Finally, the game ended and Trip stood up and stretched. He leaned over and scratched Porthos' ears affectionately. The little dog sat tall, luxuriating in the attention. Jon watched the Beagle with a smile.

"How are you and T'Pol getting along?" Jon asked after a moment.

The engineer sat on the bed and pulled Porthos onto his lap. He continued scratching the dog's ears.

"It's been a challenge, Cap'n," he began. "This last week we've had to work pretty closely, what with the problem with the long-range sensors and all. I've lost count how many times I've had to apologize to her for losing my temper."

"Well she complimented your work this morning at breakfast," Jon said.

Trip looked at him in surprise. "She did?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.

Jon nodded, puzzling over the subtle shade of pink his engineer was turning. Trip turned his attention back to the little dog curled up in his lap. The grin, however, remained on his face.

"Well, I'm beat, Cap'n. Think I'll call it a night," Trip finally yawned. "Thanks for the game, I'll see ya in the morning."

Jon walked his friend to the door then slapped him good-naturedly on the back. "Good night, Trip. Next game to come in, I'll make sure your team wins." He closed the door after his friend then turned to Porthos. "Well, boy. Time to get to bed."

Porthos nestled down on the bedspread and rolled on his back, his four legs flailing as he scrubbed his back.

Jon chuckled then scratched the little dog's belly. "Such a good boy," he clucked.

>>>>>>>>>>

The alarm beeped incessantly and Jon reached out to turn it off. He sat up slowly and scrubbed his hand through his hair, then turned on the lights. He froze. Crewman Daniels stood at the foot of his bed staring down at him.

"Captain, we don't have much time," Daniels began.

"What?"

"You're going to be called to the bridge in a few minutes. A species known as the Zeen will be making demands that you will have no choice but to meet."

"The Zeen?" Jon stammered, shaking his head in confusion. "What demands? What are you talking about?"

"There's no time to explain in full right now, Captain. But know this. They WILL destroy Enterprise if you don't meet their demands."

"What do they want?"

Daniels turned, avoiding the captain's gaze. "They want Commander Tucker, sir."

Jon threw his blankets off and got out of bed. "Trip? What do they want with Trip?"

"I can't explain right now, Captain. The only thing I can tell you is that you must let them take him."

"No," Jon replied forcefully as he moved to stand directly in front of Daniels.

"Captain."

"I said no, Crewman."

"Then Enterprise will be destroyed and the timeline will be altered. Innocent people will die, Captain."

Jon began to pace. "I won't let them have Trip," he said quietly but with conviction.

"I will help you retrieve him, Captain. He's too important to the future to lose."

"I can't."

Daniels grabbed Jon's arm to stop his movement. "I know how you feel about him, sir. In my short time on Enterprise, I grew quite fond of him myself. I promise you I will help you get him back."

"Bridge to Archer." Sub-commander T'Pol's voice filled the room and Jon inhaled sharply. He stared hard at Daniels for several seconds then moved to the comm. pad.

"Archer."

"Captain, your presence is required on the bridge immediately. We have an intruder."

>>>>>>>>>>

The device hovered about three meters off the bridge floor. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed watched it intently as it floated toward Ensign Travis Mayweather. The young helmsman didn't waver as the basketball sized sphere stopped and hovered just in front of him. Malcolm kept his gaze fixed even as he heard Captain Archer enter the bridge from the turbolift.

"Report, Sub-commander," the captain ordered.

"You are Captain Jonathan Archer?" The metallic voice drew Archer's attention to the sphere. He moved down next to Travis.

"Yes," he replied.

"Captain Archer, where is your chief engineer?"

Malcolm glanced across the bridge to Ensign Hoshi Sato who looked back with an expression of fear. Archer dropped his head momentarily and exhaled. Malcolm thought he looked oddly defeated.

"What do you want with him?" Archer asked, regaining his composure.

"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge or we will destroy your ship."

"I'll ask you again. What do you want with Commander Tucker?"

A red beam shot out from the sphere, catching Travis in the left arm. The ensign gasped in pain as he grabbed at the wound.

"You will bring your chief engineer to the bridge, Captain Archer. Or we will destroy your ship."

Malcolm watched as the captain hit the communications button on Travis' console. He swallowed the fear he felt rising, certain Archer wasn't going to call Trip.

"Archer to Commander Tucker."

"Tucker here. Go ahead, Cap'n."

"Sir," said Malcolm. He stood up meeting Archer's eyes as the captain turned his head to him.

"Trip. I need you to report to the bridge," Archer continued, his eyes still on his armory officer.

"Captain," Sub-commander T'Pol said. Malcolm looked at her as she, too, rose to her feet.

"On my way," Trip replied then his voice cut out.

Archer said nothing. He moved back to stand directly in front of his chair, his eyes now locked on the sphere.

"Captain," the sub-commander repeated.

"I know what I'm doing," whispered Archer.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter 2

Jon could feel his body trembling. Trip. This was the man who had shown him nothing but his friendship, loyalty, and trust for nine years. And Jon was now repaying him by turning him over to the Zeen. Daniels better be right, Jon thought, cause if he's wrong and I lose Trip---

The turbolift door slid open and Trip stepped on the bridge, his eyes meeting T'Pol's momentarily before he turned to the captain.

Jon gasped as a white beam hit his engineer in the chest. T'Pol instantly reached out to the commander as he collapsed but before she could grab him, he vanished. Jon turned to the sphere just as it disappeared in a glittering of white.

"Do sensors pick up anything?" he asked in a rush. "Plasma exhaust, a warp signature, anything?"

T'Pol shook her head, her eyes locked on her monitor. "Nothing, Captain," she responded but her fingers still tapped at her keyboard. Then she looked up at him, her dark eyes piercing him. "He is gone."

"Keep trying, Sub-commander," Jon directed. His legs felt suddenly weak but he remained standing. "Travis, get Dr. Phlox to look at that wound. Ensign Brown can take the helm."

"I'm fine, sir. I'd rather stay on the bridge if you don't mind," replied the helmsman, turning his head slightly from facing forward. Jon noted the tightness in the young ensign's voice and briefly wondered if it was from pain or anger. He turned and caught Malcolm's cold gaze before the armory officer looked down at his monitor.

"Why did you---?" began Hoshi. She was staring at Jon, her expression that of confusion and fear.

Jon looked at each of his officers. "I received a visit from Crewman Daniels just moments before I was called to the bridge," he explained. "He knew they were coming and he knew they wanted Trip. He told me that Enterprise would be destroyed if I didn't give them what they wanted. He's never lied to me before so I had to believe him."

"Does Daniels know where they're taking Trip---the commander?" asked Malcolm.

"Yes, and he has promised to help us get him back."

"Who are they and what do they want with Commander Tucker?" asked Travis. He swiveled in his chair to face Jon.

"They're called the Zeen and I don't know, Travis," replied Jon. He sat down on the edge of his chair and leaned forward. "I don't know what they want with Trip."

"Captain," said T'Pol. "The Zeen are a cold and hostile species. The Vulcan High Command ended all attempts at an alliance with them several years ago. You may have very well condemned Commander Tucker to his death."

>>>>>>>>>>

Trip woke up to complete darkness. He felt something behind his ear and reached his hand up to finger a tiny chip. A translator, he guessed.

"You're awake."

The engineer squinted but his eyes couldn't penetrate the inky blackness to see who was talking to him. "Where am I?" he asked as he sat up. His body still felt sluggish from the jolt he'd taken.

"There is no need for you to know, Commander."

"Who are you?"

"There is no need for you to know, Commander."

Trip felt his anger rising. He tried to stand but was pushed back down. "Where is Enterprise and don't you dare tell me there is no need for me to know!" he shouted.

"Your ship is light years away."

"Are they alright?"

"Yes."

Trip tried to stand again and this time he made it to his feet before two strong hands pushed him backwards. He slammed into a wall and slid to the floor gasping for the breath that had been knocked from him. He heard movement and then the opening and closing of a door.

"Hey!" he yelled. There was no response.

Moments later, Trip heard the sound of the door again. A light came on and the engineer squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden brightness. He slowly opened them to see a tall, stocky alien male looming over him. The humanoid had yellow, cat-like eyes, the pupils black slits in the light. His arms were long, his hands hanging to his knees, his posture slightly stooped. Trip was otherwise amazed at how similar the species was to his own. The man had long black hair that was pushed back over his broad, powerful looking shoulders.

"Who are you?" asked Trip.

The man smiled, revealing yellow teeth. "I am Voss, Commander Tucker. And this is my brother, Treel." Voss motioned to the man who stood at the door. Trip looked around. He was sitting in a small, empty, gray room. He turned his attention back to Voss.

"What do you want with me?"

"I'm not entirely sure," replied Voss. He knelt down in front of Trip and looked at him curiously. "I merely was instructed to find you and take you back to my home world. I have no idea why Dr. Kir would be interested in a weak specimen such as yourself." He reached out and poked a long index finger into Trip's chest. "Humans are not a very impressive species."

The engineer swept his legs out, catching Voss unprepared. The big man fell backwards, completely losing his balance. Trip was on him in an instant, his forearm pressed hard against the Zeen's throat. He had Voss pinned, the bigger man unable to move. Trip saw Treel move from the corner of his eye. He turned his head just in time to see the butt of a phase rifle swinging toward him. The blow caught him on the side of the head, sending him reeling. Voss got to his feet then kicked Trip in the ribcage in anger. The engineer gasped in pain.

"You're lucky we're getting paid to deliver you unharmed, Commander," Voss spat out. Both Zeen turned and left the room but not before plunging Trip into utter darkness again.

>>>>>>>>>>

"So what you're saying is Commander Tucker is not only light years away, but he could possibly be years away as well," said Malcolm, his voice heavy with the frustration he felt.

Daniels shook his head. He had stepped out of the turbolift only minutes ago; exactly one hour after Trip had disappeared. That hour had been one of the longest of Malcolm's life.

"The Zeen have not taken him out of this time, Lieutenant," Daniels explained. "They haven't fully realized what they have. They've only sent one man forward in time and back again."

"Crewman, are you positive it is the Zeen who have the Commander?" asked T'Pol. "They do not have cloaking or high warp capabilities and yet the species that abducted Mr. Tucker appear to have both." Malcolm looked at her, realizing suddenly she had not spoken a word since Trip's disappearance.

"Yes, Sub-commander. Several months ago, through a comedy of errors, the Zeen managed to shoot down a Suliban cell ship. Their engineers were able to harvest the Suliban technology and use it in one of their ships but they have been unable to duplicate it. The temporal displacement device was on board as well."

"I don't care how the Zeen managed to steal one of your time travel devices and I don't care what they're using it for," said Archer, leaning forward on the ready room table. "All I want is my officer back!"

"I understand that, Captain," replied the crewman. He looked at each of the senior officers gathered around the table. "They've taken him back to their home world."

"Why?" asked Hoshi. "What are they going to do to him?"

"I don't know, Ensign."

Malcolm looked across at Daniels in disbelief.

"You don't know?" asked Travis incredulously.

"My superiors only told me that the Zeen wanted the commander and that you had to allow them to take him. The destruction of Enterprise would have had a dramatic negative effect on the current timeline."

"So in the eyes of your superiors, Crewman, Commander Tucker became--- expendable," said T'Pol.

"On the contrary, Sub-commander. Commander Tucker is vital to the future of Starfleet's warp program. That's why they also directed me to help you retrieve him," said Daniels.

The Vulcan science officer linked her hands behind her back. "Why don't you simply go back in time and prevent the Zeen from stealing your---time travel---device?" she asked, just a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Daniels smiled at her. "Because by doing that, we would change occurrences that were supposed to happen. Too many lives would be altered. That's one of the reasons we couldn't simply go back and reverse the destruction of the Paraagan mining colony."

The sub-commander raised an eyebrow and looked askance at Daniels.

"Why can't we move forward in time, then? At high warp, we're still going to be eight days behind the Zeen ship," said Malcolm. "You could get us their in seconds."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. It doesn't work that way. There are rules we must abide by. We can't alter time just to get from one place to the next more quickly."

"Alright, Daniels. Once we get to Zeenas Prime, what do we do?" asked Archer.

"Sir?"

"Where do we go? Where will we find Trip?"

"I'm sorry, Captain. But I wasn't given that information," replied Daniels. "We'll have to scan for his bio-signs."

Archer turned around and leaned back on the table. He dropped his head then shook it slowly. "So we just sit on our hands for eight days while Trip endures whatever the Zeen have planned for him. And we can't even come up with a plan of rescue until we get there."

>>>>>>>>>>

Captain Archer pushed his plate away then sat back in his chair. He cast a glance at the seat usually occupied by his chief engineer.

"You have not eaten, Captain," stated T'Pol from his other side.

"I'm not very hungry," replied the captain. He turned his head and met her cold gaze. "You think I've made a mistake, don't you?" he asked.

"What I think does not matter," T'Pol replied evenly.

"It matters to me, T'Pol," said Archer as he leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "You're angry, aren't you?"

T'Pol placed her spoon down at the side of her bowl then clasped her hands in her lap. "I do not get---angry, Captain. I am, however, surprised at how quickly you turned Mr. Tucker over to the Zeen." Her eyes remained fixed on her bowl of broth.

"They would have destroyed Enterprise," Archer replied.

T'Pol could hear the anger behind his words. "So Crewman Daniels said," she responded evenly.

"You don't believe any of this, do you?"

She turned to look at him but remained silent.

Archer pushed his chair back and stood. He leaned forward on his hands and glared at his science officer. "I HAVE to believe this, T'Pol. I HAVE to believe Daniels. Don't you think I've kicked myself repeatedly these last three days? Trip is family to me. I can't even imagine losing him! How dare you sit there and imply that I gave him up too easily!"

The captain stormed out of his private dining room, leaving T'Pol sitting quietly. After several moments of contemplation, she rose and headed for sickbay. Dr. Phlox was the second person from whom she often sought advice on personal matters; the first was no longer present on the ship. As she walked down the corridors, her thoughts focused on the missing commander. A strange feeling had settled in her stomach the moment she had watched him vanish before her eyes. And truth be told, she was angry with the captain for letting the Zeen take him.

T'Pol entered sickbay to see Dr. Phlox sitting quietly at his station. He turned around in his chair and smiled warmly at her.

"Doctor. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Sub-commander. I have been expecting your visit," replied the Denobulan. He stood and pulled a chair over next to his then he motioned to her to be seated.

"You have?" said T'Pol as she took the proffered chair.

"Yes. Now what can I do for you?"

"You seem to already know, Doctor."

Phlox chuckled. "You are here to discuss Commander Tucker, are you not?" he asked.

T'Pol tilted her head slightly but remained silent.

"Sub-commander, it is only natural to be worried and upset when someone you care about is in danger," began the doctor. "I am very concerned for the commander's well-being as is the entire crew."

"I am a Vulcan. I do not---care about the commander in the way you are implying," replied T'Pol. She looked down to her lap at her tightly clasped hands.

"Don't you?"

T'Pol remained silent for several moments. "I am---confused, Doctor," she said, looking up at him. "It is illogical and dangerous for me to have feelings for Mr. Tucker yet I can not deny them."

"He is your friend, T'Pol."

"He is a frustration."

Phlox chuckled lightly. "Yes, he is that," he said then paused. "Over the last two years, I have become quite fond of this crew. I care very much for each one of them and I would do everything in my power to save each life. But I have to admit there are a few who hold a special place in my Denobulan heart. One of them is Commander Tucker. He is simply a unique individual."

"You describe him well, Doctor," replied T'Pol. "Enterprise would be a far less---interesting place if he were no longer a part of the crew."

"Yes, it would. I can only hope the captain and Crewman Daniels know what they're doing. I've been doing some research on the Zeen. Their interrogation methods are---not at all pleasant."

T'Pol looked back down at her hands. "I am greatly concerned for him, Doctor," she said softly.

"So am I, Sub-commander. So am I."

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter 3

"Welcome to Zeenus Prime, Commander Tucker."

Trip opened his eyes and tried to focus on the woman standing over him. She smiled, exposing a yellow row of teeth. Her black hair was pulled back tight and tied at the nape of her neck.

"I'm sorry we had to sedate you but you were putting up quite a fight."

Finally Trip's mind kicked into gear. "Where am I?" he asked weakly.

"In our research facility. I need to run some tests on you."

"Tests? What kind of tests?"

There was no response. The woman merely smiled at him, her yellow eyes sparkling. As she walked away, Trip looked at his surroundings. He still felt groggy but slowly, very slowly the realization of where he was hit him. He began to struggle against the straps that bound him hand and foot to a metal table. He was in a lab.

"Let me go!" he shouted angrily.

The woman stepped back to his side carrying a metal tray in her hands. She set it down on a table beside the bed then looked down at him. "I can't do that, Commander," she said.

"You may as well just kill me 'cause I'm not going to tell you anything!"

The Zeen laughed merrily. "We don't need any information from you. You're Human technology is hardly worth our time."

Trip looked up at her in confusion. "Then why am I here?" he asked.

"Apparently, Commander, you will prove to be quite a thorn in my side in the near future. I'm merely removing that thorn," the woman replied. She reached to the tray for a thick circular band. "Enough questions."

"Then why didn't you have your minions kill me instead of capture me?" Trip persisted.

"You're the first Human we've ever seen. We know virtually nothing about your species. This is the perfect opportunity to study you," the Zeen replied coldly. She attempted to place the metal band on Trip's head and he tried to fight her. Finally, she gripped his jaw with a powerful hand and easily slid the device on him.

"Don't do this!" Trip shouted as the band began to hum with power.

>>>>>>>>>>

Gleenas entered the research facility and punched in exactly at 0800 hours just as she did every morning. She was proud of the fact that for over 50 years, she had never once been late for work. The old Zeen woman slowly made her way to the closet in which her cleaning supplies were stored. She reached down and pulled at the string that held her key safely around her neck and bent to put it in the lock. As she opened the door, she inhaled the wonderful and familiar smells of her labor. Gleenas began to whistle softly as she filled a bucket with hot water and cleaning fluid. Then she grabbed her mop and slowly hobbled out of the closet and down the corridor. Today she was scrubbing the hallway outside the secured area. For years, the area had remained opened but three days ago, that had changed. Gleenas couldn't help but be curious as to what was happening behind the two big doors.

An hour later she was just finishing up when the alarms went off. Gleenas turned quickly to the doors, as they swung open. Next thing she knew, she was on the ground in a tangle with a strange looking being. The being got to his feet then he looked down at her with odd, almost transparent eyes. He said something to her then reached his hand down to help her to her feet. She continued to look at him, mesmerized by those eyes. Then he turned and headed down the corridor at a dead run. She watched in horror as two medical technicians appeared at the other end of the corridor. They grabbed the alien and while one held him, the other hit him without mercy. Gleenas gasped and brought her hands up to cover her mouth. She started when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Go back to work, Gleenas."

"Who is that, Dr. Kir?" the old woman asked. "I've never seen the likes of him before."

"That isn't your concern, now is it, Gleenas," replied Kir with an ominous tone.

Gleenas looked to the floor. "No ma'am," she responded quietly.

"Now go back to work."

Gleenas picked up her mop and placed it in the bucket. As she pretended to clean, she snuck glances as the two med techs hauled the alien back up the hall and through the doors. He had red blood flowing from his nose and dripping from a wound over his eyebrow. As the doors swung closed, the old woman looked down at the floor and saw the bright red trail of drops.

"Clean up this mess, Gleenas," instructed Kir before she disappeared behind the doors as well.

>>>>>>>>>>

Trip grimaced as the cold metal was clamped once more around both his wrists, chaining him once again to the wall. The two technicians left his prison and shut the door behind them.

Dr. Kir stood staring down at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "That was pretty stupid," she said angrily. In the dim light from the tiny window, Trip could see her black pupils dilated. She reached in the pocket of her lab jacket and pulled out a syringe.

"No," Trip pleaded. "Please don't."

The doctor knelt down and injected the bright yellow fluid into Trip's arm. "Because of your little stunt, Commander, the real fun begins."

Trip watched as Kir walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. He leaned his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, feeling the bruises from his beating. He could already sense a burning sensation heating him from the inside. This was a different feeling than the "wired" feeling and the uncontrollable shaking he got from the nightly injections they'd given him to keep him from sleeping. This hurt and it was getting worse. He felt like his blood was boiling in his veins. Trip gritted his teeth against a scream, as his insides seemed to contract into knots.

"No," he rasped. "Breath, Trip. Breath through it."

The engineer tried to take his advice but the pain seemed more than he could endure. Trip held on, his teeth clamped together hard. He pulled his knees up to his chest but with his hands chained to the wall on either side of his head, he couldn't put his arms around them. He straightened them back out and pounded one foot into the floor. The agony was overwhelming and he closed his eyes tightly, feeling the tears roll slowly down his cheeks.

>>>>>>>>>>

Gleenas crept through the alleyway behind the research facility. She knew it was deep in the night so there was more than likely no one around but she took extra care anyway. She was an old woman and a crazy one at that, she knew, but the strange eyes she had seen that morning had stayed with her. In them she had seen fear but also something else, something that had driven her from her bed in the dead of night.

She paused momentarily under the window to adjust the translator she wore behind her right ear, thinking briefly of how she'd stolen it just that morning from one of the med techs. Gleenas looked up at the window. She was only guessing this was the room but it was the only one she had never been allowed to enter. The old Zeen carefully stepped up on the brick ledge that ran the length of the building and peered through the screen. The alien sat against the wall directly across from her perch. His hands were clamped in metal rings and held to the wall. She felt ill at the evidence of her own peoples' cruelty.

"Boy," she whispered. "Can you hear me?"

The alien's head slowly lifted and he opened his eyes. Her keen night vision picked up the sheen of sweat and the awful bruises that mottled his young face. He looked around in confusion.

"I'm up here," Gleenas called softly.

"What?" the alien whispered.

"Here," she said, finally drawing his attention to her. She smiled broadly.

"Hello. I'm called Gleenas."

"Gleenas," he repeated.

"Yes. What are you called?"

"Um," the alien started. He stopped and Gleenas could see his body shake violently.

"Are you alright, boy?"

"They won't let me sleep," he mumbled. "Drugs. I---I hurt."

"What did you do?" asked Gleenas.

"Do? I didn't do anything."

"You must have done something for them to keep you here."

The alien shook his head slowly. "I've done nothing," he said.

Gleenas watched as his body shuddered again. His face twisted up in pain then slowly relaxed.

"What are you called?" she asked again.

"Trip," he replied.

"I want to help you, Trip. Whatever it is you've done, you don't deserve to be treated like this."

"My friends will be coming soon," Trip mumbled. "They'll be here soon."

"Tell me about your friends," urged Gleenas. She cringed as she watched his face contort in pain again. Then his strange eyes widened and seemed to focus on her clearly.

"No," he replied. "This is some kind of trick, isn't it? You're one of them."

Gleenas adjusted her stance on the ledge. "I'm an old woman, Trip. I clean the building but I'm not a scientist. Don't you remember me?" She knew he couldn't see in the darkness as well as she could but she hoped the moonlight was enough to illuminate her face.

Trip squinted up at her. "You're the woman I knocked down this morning," he said.

"Yes."

"Why are you here?"

"I guess to thank you for helping me up. Sounds kind of silly now," Gleenas said softly feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Your welcome," the alien replied with a slight smile. Gleenas just stared at him in silence. He was unlike anyone or anything she had ever seen before. He was a kind boy and she knew that as a fact. Tears filled her eyes as his body shook again.

"I'll find a way to help you, Trip. I promise."

He shook his head. "You'll get in trouble, Gleenas. Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be fine."

A noise in the alley drew her attention and she turned her head. "I need to go now, Trip. I'll come back tomorrow night if that's okay." She didn't stay to hear his reply.

>>>>>>>>>>

Captain Jonathan Archer walked slowly down the corridor to his quarters. He knew he had to get some sleep for his own good but also for the good of his crew. Daniels had disappeared again that afternoon but had promised to return when Enterprise entered the Zeenus system. The crewman had recommended the ship remain behind the farthest moon to avoid detection by Zeen sensors. He didn't have any recommendations, however, for how their shuttle pod would make it to Zeenus Prime unscathed.

Jon keyed in his code and entered his quarters. Porthos stood up in his tiny bed, his tail wagging furiously. The captain couldn't help but smile. He bent over and picked up the little Beagle then drew him to his chest.

"Hello, Porthos," he said. "Five more days and we get Trip back, buddy."

Jon sat down on his bed still holding his dog. His mind wandered back to the football game and he smiled at the warm memory. He put Porthos down on the bed next to him then fell back. He flopped a forearm over his eyes and let his breath out. Enterprise would finally arrive at Zeenus Prime, he thought. The last three days had been the toughest of his life. The senior staff had remained professional toward him but he sensed an underlying anger. Especially from Malcolm and surprisingly T'Pol. Would they be able to forgive him if they couldn't find Trip, he wondered.

"Could I forgive myself?" he asked aloud. Porthos nuzzled his cheek then gave it a lick. Jon pulled his arm away and looked at the Beagle. "No. I could never forgive myself," he whispered. He sat back up and drew Porthos into his arms. He put his mouth against the dog's head then shut his eyes tightly. Starfleet captains weren't supposed to fall apart, he told himself as the tears threatened to fall.

His door chime sounded suddenly and Jon quickly ran a hand over his face. "Come in!" he called.

Dr. Phlox entered the room. "Good evening, Captain," he greeted.

Jon set Porthos aside and stood up. "Doctor. Is there something I can do for you?"

"I was just checking in, Captain. Are you doing alright?" Dr. Phlox tilted his head and looked at Jon with concern.

The captain hesitated a moment. "No, I'm not doing alright," he finally said. He began to pace along the foot of his bed, Porthos watching his every move. "The closest friend I've ever known is more than likely dead, my senior staff believes I gave him up too easily, and----" he stopped and turned to look at Phlox. "And---." He sat down heavily then leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs.

Phlox moved to stand next to him, patting the captain's shoulder gently. "And you're doubting your decision," he finished.

Jon looked up at him and nodded.

"Captain, do you believe what Crewman Daniels said? That the Zeen would have destroyed the ship had you not given them Commander Tucker?"

"Yes," Jon replied.

"Then you have no reason to doubt yourself."

"But Malcolm and T'Pol and the others---."

"Are upset because someone they care about is missing," explained the Denobulan. "Just as you are upset. They trust you implicitly, Captain. You should know that by now."

Jon dropped his head in resignation. "Maybe you're right, Doctor," he conceded softly.

"But I don't think your staff is the crux of what's troubling you, is it?"

The captain remained silent.

"You care very much for him, don't you?" asked Phlox softly. His hand returned to Jon's shoulder for a moment.

"I don't know what I'd do without him," Jon replied.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter 4

Trip felt the familiar sting of the needle, as Dr. Kir injected the fluid into his arm. He knew in moments his body would start trembling uncontrollably as the drug took effect. With the green fluid coursing through his system, he was unable to sleep which was exactly its purpose. He hadn't been allowed to sleep since his arrival.

Trip turned his head slightly to look out at what he could see of the sky from his prison window. He wondered briefly if Enterprise was out there searching for him or if they even knew where to look. He closed his eyes tightly then opened them again as his body started to shake. The tests they'd run since his attempt at escape had been painful to say the least. He'd been stripped naked, strapped to the metal table, and hooked up to a strange device that sent jolts of energy coursing through his body at the push of a button. As he'd screamed in agony, Dr. Kir had simply watched, her attention moving from his face to a monitor that sat next to the metal bed. They'd also broken each finger on his left hand, one at a time. He hadn't been fed but water had been provided in small quantities.

Now he lay on the floor of his prison, Dr. Kir bending over him. He kept looking out the window as she slowly washed his body. She was surprisingly gentle as she ran the damp rag over him.

"You have a surprisingly high tolerance for pain, Commander," the doctor said as she carefully washed his healing face. "Are all Humans strong like you?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Trip muttered.

"You're still clinging to the hope that your friends will find you," Kir said with a cold smile. "You are a stubborn one."

Trip turned his head to look up at her. "They'll be here," he said.

Dr. Kir reached for his left hand and squeezed it. He cried out in pain at the pressure on his broken fingers. Then his body shook again from the drugs.

"So stubborn," whispered the Zeen as she wiped the tear that leaked out from the corner of Trip's eye. She motioned to the two med techs hovering by the door. They came over and held the engineer while Dr. Kir clothed him in a stark white pair of hospital pants. Then they pulled him over to the wall and clamped the metal rings around his wrists.

"Now to do something about this," said Dr. Kir as she ran her finger along the thick stubble that lined Trip's jaw.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Trip, watching her pull a bottle from her bag.

"Because we're not an evil people, Commander. We don't treat our prisoners like animals," replied Kir as she carefully lathered up the engineer's face. She lifted a razor out of her bag and began to shave along his jaw.

Trip stared at her in utter disbelief. "I would say you're definitely evil, lady," he spat.

Kir slashed across his cheek with the razor, laying the flesh open. She called for one of the med technicians who immediately came to her side. "Please show the Commander that his insolence will not be tolerated."

The Zeen took Trip's right hand and forced it open. He then proceeded to calmly break the little finger.

Trip gasped, shutting his eyes against the pain as Dr. Kir continued to slowly shave his face.

>>>>>>>>>>

The room was dark except for the moonlight that filtered through the tiny window. Trip waited, hoping that Gleenas would return. She had said she'd visit him again and Trip found he needed her kind words. As he waited, his mind wandered back to his mother. In a way, the old Zeen woman reminded him of her. She had a warm kindness about her that made him feel safe. Trip squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the rush of tears. He didn't even want to think that he would never see his mom again.

"Are you alright, Trip?"

The engineer opened his eyes and looked up at the face that appeared in the window. He let out a shaky laugh. "I am now, Gleenas." The woman's face was shadowed but Trip thought he saw her smile.

"How are you?" Gleenas asked in a hushed voice.

"Today was pretty rough," he replied.

"What happened to your face?"

"Cut myself shaving," Trip replied with a weak smile.

"Oh, Trip. Your hands," gasped the old woman. "What did they do to you?" She sounded sickened.

"I'll be okay, Gleenas." His body trembled uncontrollably and he inhaled sharply, gritting his teeth.

"I've got to get you out of here."

"No, Gleenas. Dr. Kir would have your head if you tried anything," said Trip with as much force as he could muster. "My cap'n will be here very soon. Just keep visiting with me until he gets here. Please."

Gleenas sighed. "I won't leave you, Trip," she answered softly. "Never."

>>>>>>>>>>

"There is no sign that the Zeen have discovered us, Captain," reported Sub- commander T'Pol from her science station.

"Good," said Archer. He turned to look at Malcolm. "Have weapons standing by just in case, Lieutenant," he directed.

Malcolm nodded. "Standing by, sir," he replied.

"Can you pick up Trip's bio-signs?" Archer turned back to his science officer.

"Yes," she looked up at him from her monitor. "He is alive."

Malcolm dropped his head momentarily in relief. Trip was alive. Now could they get him back? He looked up and exchanged a brief glance with Hoshi. The relief on the bridge was palpable.

Archer slumped into his chair. "Now where is Daniels?" he asked quietly.

"I'm here, sir."

Malcolm watched as Crewman Daniels stepped out of the turbolift. He shook his head, wondering at the man's impeccable timing.

The crewman moved to stand next to Captain Archer. "I've brought something with me, sir," he said as he held up a strange piece of technology.

"What is it?" asked Travis turning in his chair.

"A way to get to Zeenus Prime undetected, sir," Daniels replied with a smile. "It's a cloaking device."

>>>>>>>>>>

Gleenas stepped up onto the ledge as she had on the previous seven nights. She looked through the screen over the window and saw Trip lying on the floor. She felt a wave of relief as it dawned on her he wasn't chained to the wall. Then her stomach dropped when she saw the fresh burns on his chest and stomach.

"Trip," she whispered. The young man didn't move he just stared vacantly at the ceiling. She called his name again.

"No more," he mumbled finally. "Please."

"Trip. It's me. Gleenas." She suddenly felt terribly afraid. His mental state had shown deterioration over the last couple nights but he had still been able to talk to her. He had told her all about his wonderful friends on his starship, about how much he cared for them and missed them. And she had laughed with him as he related his adventures, or as he called them, his misadventures. But this time was different; he didn't seem to know her at all.

"Mom?"

She hesitated as her heart sank. "Yes, Trip. It's me. It's Mom," she lied.

"I can't see, Mama," he said and his voice broke. "I'm scared."

Gleenas brushed at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She knew she had to be strong for him. She watched in anguish as his body convulsed from the drugs and she silently cursed Dr. Kir's very existence.

"I know you're scared, Trip. But you have to be brave, okay? For me?"

Trip turned his head towards her voice. "I'll try."

"That's my good boy," Gleenas said gently. "Now I'm going to leave---."

"No, don't leave me!" Trip reached out toward her with his right hand, his little finger sticking out and horribly bent. "Please stay!"

She started crying as his weakened body shook again involuntarily. She tried to breath through her sobs, trying desperately to calm herself. "I'm going to get you out, Trip. I can't let them do this to you anymore. Now you just sit tight. Can you do that for me, Trip?"

He was breathing hard, fighting with all his might not to cry openly. Gleenas put her hands over her mouth to muffle her sobs. Finally he dropped his hand back down and nodded his head slowly.

"I'll be right there. You just hang on," she pleaded. Gleenas jumped down from the ledge and headed down the alleyway.

>>>>>>>>>>

"Captain, I can retrieve the device alone," whispered Daniels. "Lieutenant Reed should go with you and the sub-commander."

Jon scowled at the crewman. The four stood in the deepest night shadows outside the research facility within which T'Pol had detected Trip's life signs. The engineering staff had successfully installed the cloaking device in Shuttlepod One so the away team had no problem landing near the building. Jon was thankful the structure was on the outskirts of the small town and not in the heart of it.

"Sir, with all due respect, I'd rather be with you when you find the commander," said Malcolm softy. "I think Crewman Daniels can watch out for himself."

Jon paused. Malcolm had wanted to bring down an army to rescue his friend but both T'Pol and Daniels had recommended against it, opting for a less conspicuous approach.

The captain looked from his armory officer to his former crewman then he sighed. "Alright, we'll meet you back at the pod," he directed to Daniels. The young man disappeared around the building.

"I doubt you need to be concerned with Crewman Daniels' safety, Captain," said T'Pol in a hushed voice.

"How many life signs do you detect?" asked Jon.

T'Pol held out her scanner and moved it in a slow arc. "There are twelve Zeen signatures all located in different sections of the building but only five in the vicinity of Commander Tucker," she replied. She looked up at him. "We should meet with little to no resistance."

"It appears they're not expecting a rescue," said Malcolm.

The three officers walked around the structure until they found a delivery entrance. Malcolm made quick work of the access panel with his phase pistol and they proceeded inside. The hallway in which they found themselves was illuminated only with low powered lighting.

"Captain, there is someone just ahead," whispered T'Pol.

Jon led the way, his phase pistol held tightly in his hand. He rounded a corner and saw a figure moving slowly only a few meters ahead of him. He stopped when the Zeen turned around.

"He said you'd come for him."

The figure moved toward him and Malcolm raised his pistol. Jon reached out and put his hand on his officer's arm, staying him. He shook his head when Malcolm looked at him.

T'Pol moved up on Jon's other side. "Who are you?" she asked.

The Zeen stepped under a light and Jon could see she was an old woman. Her posture was severely stooped but even so she stood at his eye level. Her hair was white and twisted into a bun at the base of her neck. She moved closer to him and he could see her eyes were cat-like, the pupils dilated in the dim light.

The old woman put up her hands to show she was unarmed. "I am called Gleenas," she said softly. "You must be the cap'n."

Jon couldn't help but smile. Only one other person said his title like that.

"Follow me, we must hurry," Gleenas said then she turned and proceeded down the hall.

Jon caught up with her. "Is Trip okay?" he asked.

Gleenas shook her head. "They've hurt him badly," she replied then she held up her hand. "Someone is coming. Hide in there." She pointed to a door. Jon, Malcolm, and T'Pol ducked into the closet. The captain could hear a male voice just outside.

"Gleenas, what are you doing here at this time of night?"

"Hello, Dr. Crewfer. I think I left the lid off the Trilpa solution. You know how fast it evaporates," the old woman said. "I just couldn't sleep for thinking about it."

Jon heard laughter.

"Well make it fast." The voice began to fade. "I'll see you in the morning."

The door opened and Gleenas peered around it at the officers. "He's gone."

All four proceeded down the hall. Finally they came to a heavy door and Gleenas stopped. She pointed at it.

"Captain, there are four Zeen in the adjacent room," whispered T'Pol.

Jon looked at Gleenas. "Do you have the access code to this room?" he asked.

The old woman shook her head.

"Shoot it, T'Pol," Jon directed. He and Malcolm faced the door of the next room, holding their phase pistols. T'Pol fired at the access panel and sparks flew. Jon heard shouting and the adjacent door opened to reveal two Zeen medical technicians who immediately fell to the floor as Jon and Malcolm fired. Another Zeen was just behind the first two and Malcolm fired again, sending the man into unconsciousness.

"Don't shoot!"

Jon watched as a female Zeen slowly stepped into the hallway, her hands above her head.

"Dr. Kir," spat Gleenas. The old woman walked up to Kir and slapped her hard across the face. "I should kill you for what you've done to him!" she seethed then slapped the doctor again.

Jon grabbed Gleenas' arm before she hit the other woman again. "That's enough, Gleenas."

Malcolm moved behind Dr. Kir and shoved her forward.

T'Pol was still working on opening the door but after only another moment, she pushed it open. Jon stepped in first then froze. Trip was lying on his side on the cold floor curled up, his knees pulled to his chest, clothed only in a lightweight pair of pajama pants. His body was shaking.

"Trip," Jon breathed. He moved to his friend's side and knelt down. He reached out his hand and laid it on the younger man's arm.

Trip pulled away. "No," he pleaded weakly.

"It's me, Trip." Jon tried to touch his engineer's arm again but again Trip flinched away. The commander started crawling, pulling himself across the floor. He stopped and curled up again, shaking violently.

"Trip?" Gleenas moved quietly up beside Jon. "I'm here, Trip."

The engineer turned his head toward the voice. "Mom?"

The old woman carefully knelt down beside Trip and gently stroked her hand through his hair. She whispered to him so softly, Jon couldn't make out the words. Gradually, Trip seemed to calm and Gleenas motioned to the captain.

"I've brought your friends to take you home, dear," said Gleenas softy. She continued to stroke Trip's hair.

Jon moved over to his engineer again. "Trip?"

The young man's head turned slightly. "Cap'n? Is that you?" he asked, his eyes searching.

The captain realized in horror that his friend couldn't see. "Yeah, it's me," he responded after swallowing the lump in his throat. "Are you ready to go home?"

T'Pol knelt beside Jon. "Captain, we must hurry."

"T'Pol?" Trip's voice cracked with sudden emotion. He reached out blindly with his left hand, all the fingers horribly bent and swollen.

The Vulcan hesitated then took the commander's wrist. "Yes, Mr. Tucker. I am here as well," she said. Jon could hear her voice break ever so slightly.

"You'll never get him out of here," said Dr. Kir. She stood in the doorway, Malcolm right behind her with his phase pistol in the small of her back. The lieutenant's eyes were locked on his injured friend.

A nearby blast suddenly shook the complex and a bright light flashed through the tiny window of Trip's prison.

Jon stood then bent to gently take the commander's arm. Gleenas took his other arm and together, they pulled Trip to his feet. His legs immediately gave out.

"I've got you," Jon whispered. He could now see the burns and bruises fresh on Trip's body and the gaping wound across his cheek. He gasped at how thin and weak his friend had become then he turned angry eyes to Dr. Kir.

"Did you do this to him?" asked T'Pol suddenly. She, too, had turned to the doctor.

Dr. Kir just stood in silence, her back arrow straight in defiance.

"Yes, it was her," seethed Gleenas. The old woman held Trip while Jon quickly slipped off his jacket. Together, they managed to put it on the engineer.

Malcolm grabbed the doctor and jerked her roughly out the door, his phase pistol still stuck in her back. T'Pol pulled her pistol and followed behind them with Jon and Gleenas, holding Trip between them, exiting last.

>>>>>>>>>>

As the group slowly made their way back through the halls of the research facility, T'Pol struggled to maintain her Vulcan composure. She could hear the pain-filled moans from Commander Tucker from just behind her and the sound caused her great distress.

"Dr. Kir? Is everything alright?"

T'Pol looked around the Zeen woman to see a man standing several meters up the hall. T'Pol stepped up and placed her phase pistol along side Lieutenant Reed's in the doctor's back.

"Tell him everything is fine," the Vulcan said softly, gripping the other woman's arm with her free hand.

Dr. Kir hesitated, casting a glance out of the corner of her yellow eye at T'Pol. "Help me, Crewfer!" she shouted suddenly.

Reed pulled his weapon from behind the doctor and fired down the hall. Unfortunately the man moved at the same moment and Reed's shot hit the wall harmlessly. The lieutenant cursed angrily.

T'Pol turned her head to the captain. "We need to get out of here, sir."

Archer turned and lifted Commander Tucker quickly over his shoulder then he motioned with his head to proceed.

The group had just exited through the service entrance when the alarm went off. Dr. Kir struggled against Reed's grip, yelling for help at the same time. T'Pol was tempted to shoot the woman but she refrained, determining the doctor might work as a shield later. Her eyebrow quirked when Gleenas walked up and harshly stuffed a cloth deep into the doctor's mouth. T'Pol nodded at the old woman then grabbed Kir's free arm in her iron grip. She heard Reed chuckle softly.

As they moved through the deepest shadows along the building, T'Pol's sensitive ears picked up the sound of shouting. She could see the glow of fire against the night sky and briefly wondered what had happened.

"Where is your ship?" asked Gleenas. The old woman had remained at T'Pol's side.

"It is behind that distant stand of trees," T'Pol responded pointing at the line of trees several hundred meters away. Gleenas turned her head to look at the semi-conscious commander still draped over Archer's shoulder. T'Pol saw great sadness in the woman's yellow eyes and wondered at the engineer's ability to effect every soul with whom he came in contact.

"The town security force will be here in seconds. You'll need a diversion," the Zeen said in a hushed voice. "You won't make it across the clearing without one."

"What do you suggest?" asked the captain. They all stopped at the end of the alleyway.

"If you give me one of your weapons, I will take Dr. Kir with me. She is an important person in this town and they will do whatever they have to do to get her back safely."

"What about you?" asked Reed.

"I am an old woman, young man. I have had a good life. If it ends on this night, then so be it," Gleenas responded. She looked at the commander again. He was mumbling incoherently. Quietly she moved closer and placed her hand on his blond head. "Please tell him thank you for me."

"Thank you?" asked Archer.

Gleenas nodded. "For helping an old woman to her feet."

The captain looked confused. "I'll tell him," he said softly. He held the engineer with one arm as he pulled out his phase pistol with his free hand. He handed it to the old woman. "It's set for stun."

T'Pol watched as the Zeen clicked the switch to the "kill" setting. No one said a word.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter 5

Malcolm tied Dr. Kir's hands behind her back with a thin rope he'd found around an old crate. He lashed her wrists together as tight as he could, not caring whether she lost circulation. The hatred he felt toward the woman was too strong for him to even consider being gentle.

"Stay here in the shadows. It'll take me a few minutes to get their attention," directed Gleenas.

"Thank you, Gleenas, for taking care of Trip," said Archer gently.

The old woman took one more affectionate glance at the commander's form then took the doctor's forearm, dug the phase pistol barrel into the woman's side, and walked boldly out into the open.

As they watched the two women, Crewman Daniels suddenly appeared at Malcolm's side.

Malcolm turned to the younger man. "What did you do, Crewman?" he asked, noting the dirt covering Daniels' black uniform.

"I insured that the Zeen are no longer a threat to the timeline," the crewman responded.

"Did you cause that?" asked Archer, nodding his head toward the glowing sky.

"Yes, sir, I did. How is the commander?"

"He's in bad shape. We need to get him back to Dr. Phlox," replied the captain. "I wish Enterprise was within transporter range."

Shouting drew their attention back out into the street. Malcolm could see Gleenas still holding Dr. Kir several meters away. They were both turned so their sides were towards the group. Another building blocked Malcolm's view of the people to whom Gleenas was talking.

"Let's go," whispered Archer.

They all moved quickly across the clearing toward the distant stand of trees. Malcolm kept glancing back at Gleenas, thankful she seemed to be keeping the security force from turning the corner. He stopped and watched in horror as the old woman was hit by a laser shot. She dropped to her knees, pulling Dr. Kir down with her. The doctor struggled to get away but Gleenas held tight. Then the old woman fired her weapon into Kir's side and the doctor dropped to the ground in a lifeless heap. Now completely unprotected, Gleenas took a barrage of fire, her body finally falling over that of Dr. Kir's.

Malcolm took a step toward the two bodies but T'Pol grabbed his arm.

"Lieutenant," she said. "We must move now!"

They ran to the trees as the shouting continued behind them. Archer struggled with Trip's added weight but Malcolm guessed his adrenaline was pushing him forward. The group reached the shuttlepod and T'Pol quickly opened the hatch. She and Daniels helped the captain with Trip while Malcolm stood watching the dark for movement. The shouting was getting closer and a laser blast hit the ground just in front of him, spraying him with dirt. He quickly jumped in the shuttle while T'Pol closed the hatch behind him. Malcolm sat in the pilot's seat and quickly fired up the little ship. Another shot rocked the pod just as it lifted off the ground. Malcolm flipped on the cloaking device and aimed the craft skyward, leaving Zeenus Prime behind.

>>>>>>>>>>

With T'Pol's help, Jon eased Trip down on the rear bench of the shuttle pod. In the bright light, he could see now how pale and gaunt his friend really was. The engineer was awake but his mumbled words made it clear he wasn't really aware of what was happening. His body shook violently for a moment then calmed again. Jon looked up at T'Pol as she ran a scanner over Trip's body.

"The escape weakened him considerably, Captain," she responded to his silent inquiry.

"Mom?" managed Trip. He turned his head from side to side, his eyes foggy and oddly darkened.

Jon sat back on the bench then pulled Trip's upper body into his lap, holding him in his arms. The engineer struggled weakly against him.

"Shhhh, Trip," Jon whispered soothingly. "You're okay now. Everything's okay." He continued talking softly and Trip's struggling stopped. His body shook from time to time but otherwise he just stared blankly at the ceiling of the pod.

Jon looked up at Daniels who was seated at the navigation station, his chair turned around. "Will he be okay?"

"I honestly don't know, Captain," Daniels replied quietly.

"Reed to Enterprise," said Malcolm from the pilot's seat.

"Enterprise. It's good to hear your voice, Lieutenant," answered Hoshi. "Do you have the commander?"

"Yes. We should reach you in forty-five minutes. Please have Dr. Phlox standing by."

"Aye, sir. How is he, sir?"

"Not good, Ensign," replied Malcolm softly. "We'll see you soon." He fingered the communications button and the transmission ended.

>>>>>>>>>>

Dr. Phlox had swept Trip away the minute the hatch door opened. The engineer had continued to talk on the flight back to Enterprise but his words had made no sense. Occasionally it would seem he was in the grips of Dr. Kir and he would cry out and struggle against Jon but then he would calm down and ask for his mother again. Jon had held him gently the entire time, whispering calming words to his friend. He had seen the evidence of Trip's torture in the young man's hands and on his body and it had made Jon sick and angry and very glad the woman who had hurt him was dead.

Now the captain paced outside sickbay, wondering how he was going to tell his best friend that Gleenas was gone yet hoping he would get the chance to do just that. He couldn't even allow himself to think of how he would react if Phlox opened those doors and said that Trip was dead.

Jon stopped and looked up as Daniels rounded the corner. He had disappeared just after the pod had entered the launch bay. The crewman leaned against the wall next to Malcolm.

"What exactly went on down there?" Jon asked.

"With all due respect, sir, it really doesn't matter," replied the crewman.

"It does matter. Now what did you do?"

Daniels sighed. "I found what I was after and destroyed it."

"Did you find your temporal device?" asked Malcolm.

"Yes."

"What you seem to be overlooking, Crewman, is that the damage was already done," stated T'Pol. She stood across the corridor from them, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Not exactly. I entered a virus into their science database. It should purge all their data on the Suliban technology as well as the other information they obtained from the future."

"What about the people? You certainly couldn't purge their minds," said Jon.

Daniels hesitated. "No, I couldn't," he answered simply.

"What did you do, Crewman?" asked T'Pol.

"You must understand how delicate the timeline is."

"What did you do?" demanded Jon forcefully.

"I am entrusted with protecting the timeline and sometimes that means doing reprehensible acts."

"How many did you kill?" asked Malcolm. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched the crewman next to him.

"I don't exactly know. My orders were to destroy the science complex and I carried out those orders to the tee."

Jon moved to stand directly in front of Daniels. "Why did they take Trip?" he asked, his voice quiet with barely controlled anger.

Daniels stared back at him for a long moment. "The Zeen scientist who traveled to the future was told that Commander Tucker would ultimately be responsible for the death of one of Zeenus Prime's leading medical research doctors. Dr. Kir."

"What? When was all of this to take place?"

"It wasn't, Captain. In that timeline, Commander Tucker never had contact with the Zeen."

Jon furrowed his brows. "I don't understand."

"Its very simple, Captain. He used the commander," said T'Pol as she moved to stand next to Jon.

Daniels nodded reluctantly. "Yes. We needed to retrieve our device with the least negative effect possible. Using Enterprise and Commander Tucker was the only way to do that. With your assistance, we achieved all of our objectives."

"What precisely were your objectives?" spat Malcolm.

"To retrieve our technology, destroy the Suliban ship, eliminate the people involved, and purge the data from their systems."

"And to insure that the Zeen thought it was Humans who managed the destruction," finished T'Pol.

Jon dropped his head and rubbed his eyes with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. "Why Trip?" he asked finally, his head still down. "You said he was important to Starfleet's future."

"My superiors simply selected Commander Tucker based on his strong will to survive. Part of my job was to help you get him back so the future of Starfleet wouldn't be jeopardized."

"You wield too much power, Crewman. You and your superiors sit in the future and simply pick and choose who suffers and who doesn't, who dies and who survives."

"Our job is to protect the timeline, Captain, and that is exactly what we do. Do I always like that job? No. I like the commander. He is simply a fine Human being. Do you think I enjoyed seeing him sacrificed? But it had to be done to save millions of other lives, sir. I hated it but I don't regret it."

"Get off my ship!" Jon yelled, his voice shaking with unrestrained fury. "Now!"

"Yes, sir," replied Daniels. He started walking away but he turned. "Commander Tucker will survive, Captain." Then he turned the corner and disappeared from Jon's sight.

"You can come in now."

Jon swung around to see Dr. Phlox standing at the doors. The Denobulan stood aside to allow the three officers entrance. He motioned them over to the biobed on which Trip was resting.

"How is he?" asked the captain, his eyes focused on his friend.

"He's finally sleeping, Captain. I was able to rid his system of the drugs they kept pumping into him. I'm afraid he will go through some withdrawals, however."

Jon gazed down on Trip's face. Phlox had sealed the wound to his cheek and the cut above his eyebrow as well. He could see the ointments covering the burns on his chest and upper arms. The engineer still looked far too thin and pale but at least he was at rest.

"From what I can tell, he wasn't allowed to sleep or eat," Phlox continued. He stood on the other side of the bed. "He's lost some weight."

"But he will recover, Doctor?" asked T'Pol. She stepped to the foot of the bed, her eyes locked on the commander. Malcolm stood next to her.

"Yes, Sub-commander. Physically he will recover. His emotional state, however, is another matter entirely."

>>>>>>>>>>

He felt the cold metal under him and the straps pulled tight over his wrists and ankles. Trip watched Dr. Kir approach. She was holding a metal bar in her hand and it was glowing white. Trip tried to back away but couldn't move. The Zeen smiled and it sent shivers up the engineer's spine. Then she slowly placed the bar on his bare chest and he screamed---- -

"Stop!" Trip cried. He reached out with his hands, flailing them around madly. He felt hands grabbing his wrists and Trip tried to pull away. He cried out again and the hands held on tight.

"Easy, Trip."

He opened his eyes and blinked. He could see shapes, faces, but they were blurry. Trip blinked again, still struggling against his assailant. Then finally his vision cleared.

"Cap'n?"

Jonathan Archer smiled down at his friend. He still held Trip's wrists and someone else had a hold of his legs.

The engineer closed his eyes again; positive he was dreaming. Then he heard beeping. It was steady and oddly calming. He blinked his eyes then opened them again to see Dr. Phlox hovering over him. The doctor smiled literally from ear to ear.

"Doc?" Trip murmured.

Phlox patted the engineer's shoulder gently. "Take it easy, Commander. You're going to be fine."

"Hey," said Archer as he gently laid Trip's hands on his stomach. "It's good to have you back."

Trip's mind felt hazy and he looked up at his friend in confusion. "What happened to me, Cap'n? Is everyone else okay?"

Archer shared a quick look with Dr. Phlox then smiled down at the engineer. "Everyone is fine, Trip."

Trip squeezed his eyes tightly shut, struggling to remember. Slowly the pieces began to fall into place and the clouds cleared. "Dr. Kir," he managed, his eyes still closed. "I remember now."

He felt a warm hand on his wrist and reflexively pulled away. He opened his eyes and held both of his hands up in front of his face. The left was wrapped entirely while only the little finger was bandaged on his right. "They broke my fingers," he whispered, his throat tight.

"They'll heal nicely, Commander," said Phlox gently.

Trip looked at him. "My eyes. I can see."

The doctor nodded. "Dr. Kir used a chemical solution that formed an opaque layer over your eyes. I was able to dissolve it. Your vision may be somewhat blurry for a short time, but Human eyes have amazing healing abilities."

Trip returned his hands to his stomach. "She didn't want any information from me. All she wanted was to study me. To test the Human threshold for pain."

"I'm sorry, Trip," said Archer. He placed his hand on the engineer's shoulder. Trip fought the urge to pull away. This was his closest friend not a mad scientist.

"How long have I been here?"

"Four days," replied Dr. Phlox. He glanced up at the monitor above Trip's head and turned a knob. "Your body was in desperate need of rest."

"She kept injecting me with this drug that kept me so high I couldn't sleep. A couple times she gave me another drug that made me feel like I was on fire. I think I would have gone completely insane if Gleenas hadn't been there." Trip started with sudden realization. "Gleenas. Is she okay, Cap'n? She was this old woman who visited me every night. Without her, I---I----."

Archer's face dropped and Trip swallowed hard. The captain began to speak but Trip put up his hand to stop him. "No. No, Cap'n" he choked out.

"I'm so sorry, Trip," Archer said gently.

"No." Trip turned his head away from his friend and closed his eyes against the tears.

"She saved our lives," the captain continued softly.

Trip shook his head as the sobs threatened to break him. He felt the hand on his shoulder grip him firmly in support. Gleenas was dead. Trip felt the dam burst and the tears flowed freely, wracking his weakened body. He felt a pinch on his neck and then everything slowly faded away.

>>>>>>>>>>

Jon watched as Dr. Phlox pressed the hypospray to Trip's neck and injected the contents with the press of a button. The engineer slowly relaxed and fell into a deep sleep. Jon gently wiped away the tears that trailed down his friend's temples. He watched him for several moments. Gleenas had been his lifeline, the one kindness throughout his horrific ordeal and now she was dead.

"Captain?"

Jon looked up and met Dr. Phlox's kind gaze. "Wh---what?"

"I said he'll sleep for several hours," smiled the doctor.

The captain nodded then returned his focus to Trip. "I'll be in my dining room if anything changes," he said but his legs refused to move him away from the bed.

"I'll keep a close eye on him, Captain."

Jon nodded again. He gently squeezed Trip's shoulder again then quietly left the Denobulan to care for his friend.

>>>>>>>>>>

The mess hall was empty. Trip had been released from sickbay only hours before and now he sat alone in the darkened room absently rolling a glass of warm milk between his hands. Dr. Phlox had worked his magic on the broken bones but his left hand remained bandaged and a splint held the broken finger on his right hand stationary. The pain was only a dull ache. The withdrawal from the drugs had been more painful. His stomach was still sensitive to anything but the blandest of foods. Trip now looked at his hands. Time, Phlox had said. It would take time for them to heal, for him to heal. He squeezed his eyes shut, the sound of his fingers breaking one by one still echoing in his ears.

Trip had chosen the farthest corner away from the door in hopes that anyone entering for a midnight snack wouldn't notice him. He knew his friends were worried about him but he needed time alone. There was so much he needed to grasp it was overwhelming him and the presence of his friends for some reason made it all worse. He held his breath as the door slid open. His back was to the entrance but he could hear footsteps. Trip knew instantly from the gait of the walker who it was and he sighed.

"Evenin' Cap'n," he said without looking up.

Captain Archer took the seat next to him at the little table and looked at his friend. "I've been looking for you. I was worried."

"No need," Trip responded simply.

They sat in silence and Trip could feel the captain's eyes settling on him. He shifted in his chair under the scrutiny.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

"I've been flat on my back for over a week, Cap'n," sighed Trip in exasperation. He looked up at his friend and saw the concern all over his face. "I'm okay," he added softly then they both fell silent again.

"Dr. Phlox says you'll be physically ready for light duty in a couple more days," said Archer, finally breaking the quiet.

Trip laughed humorously. "Physically ready, huh?" He stood up and walked over to the view port. The stars were merely lines of white light shooting passed. They were beautiful.

"Trip," Archer began.

"You know the hardest thing for me to get here?" Trip said without turning around. "Is why did Gleenas have to die? I can deal with being sacrificed but why did she have to be? She was a good woman, Cap'n."

"I don't know, Trip."

"They have way too much power, you know, Daniels and his superiors. We're like pieces in a game to them. At the mere snap of their fingers, they can determine who lives and who dies. It isn't right." He looked down. "They're no better than the Suliban."

The captain stood and walked over to stand next to Trip. He hesitated as if wondering if he should speak. "Gleenas wanted me to tell you something," he said finally.

Trip looked at him. "What?" he asked, his voice catching.

"She wanted me to thank you for helping an old woman to her feet."

Trip turned his head away and sucked in his breath, fighting hard not to fall apart.

He felt Archer's hand on his back. "Come on," the captain urged. "I'll walk you back to your quarters."

Trip didn't move.

"You're going to make it through this, Trip. I promise you that," Archer said.

The engineer turned his head and looked at his captain, a few tears spilling with the movement. "Why, because Daniels said I would?" he asked bitterly, wiping his cheeks.

"No. Trip, Daniels could have said you'd end up insane and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. And you know why?"

Trip shook his head.

"Because I know you. He may be able to control time but he can't control what goes on in here." Archer touched his index finger to Trip's temple. "Or here." He moved to place it on the engineer's chest.

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Trip felt a real smile forming. "Thanks," he murmured.

The captain nodded his head and smiled back. "Anytime," he replied.

The two stood side by side in companionable silence and watched the stars as they streamed passed them. Trip realized he would be okay and he said a silent thank you to one old woman who had simply cared enough to help a stranger.

>>>>>>>>>>

THE END

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Eight hardy souls have made comments

I've read this once before and again, great stuff! Really don't like Archer for using Trip as a pawn or cannon fodder, no matter what Daniels tells him. Keep up the good work! :-)

I too have read this before but it's just as good a second time. You have captured the emotions of the characters very well and you really make us feel for Trip. Thank you.

Oh what a wonderful story. Very cool.

Oh Daniels me thinks a slightly unwound Vulcan might find you in her sights soon!

Glennas. *SNIF* wonderful OC.

Nicely told. Good story.

Really lovely story,wonderfully written.Nice to see the effect Trips ordeal has on his closest friends. Will definitely read this again.

Excellent, very painful, vivid emotions.

Your always ready to review my stories, so when I saw one authored by you I thought I'd give it a read. Glad I did! It's been awhile since I've read a fanfic, and I was pleasantly surprised by yours.

A few grammatical mistakes, but nothing too distracting. And it was obvious you were trying ot pay attention to consistency and explanation, ex: things did not either suddenly appear or happen without an explanation. Good job on that, too many stories go without being edited by a careful eye.

Some parts I really like; T'Pol's line 'He is a frustration.' Great! I also thought your intro to Gleena was very good. It's like you sat and watched a cleaning woman and then wrote about her. And that line at the end, before Gleena died... 'Thank him for helping an old woman to her feet.' Absolutely perfect! I like to think there's one line, or sentence in a story that sums everything up, makes the story worthwhile, and I think that line is yours. It simply says... Trip Tucker.

This was really heartbreaking and beautifully written. I don't like the way Archer gave up Trip so easily and would have liked to see a bit more of Trips reaction after finding out that it was Archer who delivered him to the Zeen. Great story. Thanks for sharing.

OWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww i think covers most of it, poor trip what did he ever do to deserve that?

Any way, loved it bar the hurting trip part, your a gr8 writer and i hope to read many more ike this bar the hurting trip part