Trophies

Trophies

by plumtuckered

Genre: Drama/Angst
Rating: R

A/N - This story is stand-alone and has no connection to my other stories. I was going to take a break from writing but this darned idea bit me and wouldn't let go! And I just can't seem to leave poor Trip alone!

Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

As always, none of the Enterprise characters belong to me but I do enjoy borrowing them every now and then.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter One

He was tired, his heart pumping blood to exhausted limbs. He stumbled and fell to his knees in the mud, the man he'd been carrying sliding to the ground from his shoulder. He could hear them behind him, moving through the trees and underbrush, approaching, always just behind him..

>>>>>>>>>>

THREE DAYS EARLIER

"Keep moving, Malcolm," whispered Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker, nudging the tactical officer in the back. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed took a tentative step then began moving slowly through the huge rotunda of the Eska capital building. Lining the walls were over a hundred glass cases, all displaying dead but preserved animals, their lifeless eyes staring back at them.

"I knew they were a hunting species, Commander, but I had no idea," murmured Malcolm over his shoulder. The Enterprise crew had met the Eska several months ago on the rogue planet Dakala while the aliens had been hunting a creature indigenous to the dark world. They had parted on uneasy terms so Trip had been surprised when, upon entering their system, Enterprise had received an invitation to visit the Eska home world. He was even more surprised when Damrus, the leader of the Dakala hunt, had greeted them at the landing zone, hand extended in friendship. They had been brought directly to the capital building in the city of Tritaan to meet the governor of the Kytra region, Martis.

Now as they wandered through the great cavernous room, Trip kept his eyes focused straight ahead of him. Just in front of Malcolm he could see his long time friend and captain, Jonathan Archer, his head turned, his eyes averted. Behind him he could hear the gasps of Ensigns Hoshi Sato, Jacob Sawyer and Crewman Abby Peters. Trip realized it wasn't the fact that the governor displayed his kills that bothered him; it was the fact that there were so many. Now as the engineer looked again at the hundreds of creatures displayed, he recalled Damrus telling him it was all for sport, the mere joy of the hunt.

"Governor Martis has quite a display of trophies, doesn't he Captain?" commented Damrus proudly, as he walked beside the captain. "He has been to several planets in our system as well as others. This one is a Meetrok. It's found only on Vulcan."

Trip glanced at the display case to which the Eska pointed. The creature didn't resemble anything the chief engineer had ever seen. It was no bigger than the Labrador Retriever Trip had as a child but it had six legs all ending in fiercely clawed paws. The head vaguely resembled a mountain lion's but with no fur. The body was covered in thick, dark brown, leathery skin. The Meetrok was propped up on its two back legs, the other four set in an attack position. The mouth was gaping open, revealing sharp canines the length of Trip's forearms. The engineer cringed and turned his attention back to a spot between Malcolm's shoulder blades.

"How long have you been Deputy Governor, Damrus?" asked Captain Archer, turning away from the glass case.

"Almost fifteen years now. The governor's a brilliant man. I've enjoyed working with him," replied the Eska with a smile.

The group of six was lead up a twisting column of stairs to a hallway on the second floor. As they climbed, Trip looked up at the ceiling of the rotunda. A mural had been painted detailing several ancient Eska on a hunt. When they entered the hall, Damrus pointed out other rare animals mounted on the walls as the crew passed them. At the end of the hall, they entered a large office. In the center of the room, seated at a huge desk was an old, weather worn Eska male. He rose to his feet and smiled. Trip shivered slightly at the coldness of that smile.

"You must be Captain Archer," he greeted cheerfully. He extended his hand, which the captain took graciously.

"Captain, this is Governor Martis," introduced Damrus.

Archer smiled and nodded his head. "Nice to meet you, Governor. These are some members of my crew," he said, stepping aside to make introductions. "My Chief Engineer, Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Reed, my Tactical Officer, Ensign Sato, my Communications Officer, and Ensign Sawyer and Crewman Peters, members of our security team."

"Tactical Officer, security team?" puzzled Martis as he shook each person's hand vigorously. "Why did you feel a need to bring security with you, Captain?"

"It's simply Starfleet protocol, Governor. No offense was intended, I assure you," replied the captain with a slight smile. He quickly looked around the room, eyeing the many display cases present. "You've got quite an impressive assortment of, um, creatures, Governor."

Martis seemed to abandon any insult he had taken as he proudly named several of the encased creatures and the worlds from which they came. He pointed out a large bird of prey, presented as if still in flight. Trip cringed at the sight. The bird was absolutely magnificent.

The governor noticed his expression and scowled. "You find this distasteful, Commander Tucker?" he asked as he moved to stand directly in front of the engineer.

"No, sir," Trip answered quickly. "I---well---, no sir."

"Governor," said Damrus, breaking the sudden tension. "I think lunch should be ready. Why don't we all go down to the dining room?" He started ushering everyone toward the door. Martis looked at the engineer for a long moment then quickly turned and left the room.

"Best not offend the Governor, Commander," whispered Damrus before he, too, left the room. Trip exchanged a questioning look with Malcolm then shrugged.

>>>>>>>>>>

After lunch, the group was turned loose to wander the city. The huge open marketplace of Tritaan was the hub of activity. The square was alive with people bartering for their wares. Trip spotted a display of candles and immediately thought of buying a souvenir for T'Pol. He wandered over to the stand and perused the merchandise. He picked up a deep royal blue, unscented candle and looked at it closely.

"Who's the candle for, Commander?" asked Hoshi at his elbow suddenly. He turned to look at her and noticed a twinkle in her eye.

"Sub-commander T'Pol," he responded with a smile. "Do you think she'd like this one?"

Hoshi nodded her head. "It's beautiful, sir. Any particular reason you're buying a gift for the sub-commander?"

Trip shrugged. "We had a disagreement this morning over breakfast. I thought I'd buy her a little something as a way to apologize. What did you buy?" he asked, noticing the package she held.

"A scarf. Abby bought one, too. Maybe the sub-commander would like a scarf instead of a candle."

"Nah, I think I'll get her this," Trip replied.

"But a scarf is so much more personal, sir."

Trip caught the teasing tone of Hoshi's comment and looked at her with a scowl. "It's just a souvenir, Hoshi."

"Whatever you say, Commander," the ensign replied with a grin and a nudge. "I'll see you later, sir."

After reaching an agreement on a trade with the Eska woman behind the counter, Trip took the wrapped candle and tucked it protectively under his arm. He grinned to himself. The woman had seemed ecstatic to receive the copper penny he'd traded for the candle. Trip looked around then caught sight of Ensign Jacob Sawyer looking over weapons at a nearby stand.

"Shopping for the armory, Jake?" he asked as he joined the older man.

"Commander," greeted the ensign. He picked up a phase rifle and examined it. "I'll say one thing for the Eska. They sure know their weapons."

"Look at this one," said Trip, hoisting a hand held torpedo launcher.

"Wouldn't Lieutenant Reed like to get his hands on this!" gasped Jacob as he looked over the weapon in detail. He took the launcher from Trip and settled it on his shoulder.

Trip chuckled. "Come, on. We need to meet the cap'n."

The two officers wandered through the crowds toward the main entrance to the marketplace.

"Please, please!"

Trip turned to see a young woman running toward them, a frantic look on her face. She grabbed his arm and started pulling him.

"Please, my daughter!" she screamed.

Trip threw a confused glance at Jacob then allowed the woman to pull him after her. The two men followed the Eska woman back behind a line of display stands. Trip pulled up when he saw a group of four men in the alley, each one brandishing a baton. He turned around, stopping his companion. Three more Eska stood behind them.

"Commander," whispered Jacob.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter Two

Malcolm Reed stood next to the captain at the main entrance to the marketplace. He scanned the crowd looking for any sign of the commander and ensign.

"Where are they?" asked Archer beside him. "Trip knows better than to be late."

"I saw him just a few minutes ago, sir," said Hoshi. She and Crewman Peters both stood on tip toes, squinting their eyes to see through the masses of Eska milling around.

"Did either of you see Ensign Sawyer?" asked Malcolm. "He was with me for a while but we got separated."

"No, sir," replied Abby. Hoshi shook her head.

Archer sighed. "Well neither of them is answering my hails. Hoshi, can you take us to where you saw Trip last?"

Hoshi nodded and the group moved back into the busy marketplace. Malcolm kept his eyes on the people, hoping to catch sight of two blue uniforms amongst the colorful Eska attire.

"The commander was here, sir. Buying a candle."

"Excuse me," said Archer to the woman behind the counter. "A member of my crew was here a few minutes ago. Do you happen to know where he went?"

The woman shook her head. "He was a very nice young man. He gave me this in exchange for a simple candle." She held out her hand to show the penny sitting in her palm. Malcolm smiled at how proud she seemed of her newly acquired treasure.

"I saw him!"

Malcolm looked down at the tugging on his uniform sleeve to see a little boy standing next to him. The captain turned to kneel in front of the child.

"Where did you see him?" he asked.

The boy pointed to a row of display stands. "Over there. Elsha was leading him and the other man somewhere."

Archer exchanged a worried look with Malcolm. "Was the other man dressed like me as well?"

The boy nodded.

"Well at least they were together," said Malcolm. "Do you know where Elsha took them?"

The child looked up at Malcolm and shook his head. "She was screaming at them about her daughter."

"That's odd," said the woman at the stand. "Elsha doesn't have a daughter."

Archer stood up and took a deep breath. He looked down at the boy and rubbed his hand through the child's hair. "Thank you. You've been a big help."

The captain lead the group to the line of stands indicated by the Eska child. Malcolm and Abby moved to the front and walked down the narrow alley behind the stands. The lieutenant was positive the young woman was also wishing they'd brought their side arms. Archer and Hoshi followed closely. The alley was empty.

"Captain," whispered Hoshi. She bent down to pick up a package lying in the shadow of one of the stands. She opened it carefully to reveal a dark, royal blue candle. "Commander Tucker was buying this when I saw him, sir."

"There's fresh blood here, Captain," said Abby as she knelt down to examine the ground. Malcolm moved beside her then leaned over to look closely at the back wall of one of the display stands.

"There's blood here as well, sir," he said looking at the red liquid splattered on the wall. He pulled out his scanner from his hip pocket and activated it. "It's human," he reported quietly.

Archer closed his eyes and tipped his head back. "Damn it," he cursed.

"Do you hear that?" asked Hoshi suddenly, turning her head slightly.

Malcolm listened intently. He was about to shake his head in reply when he heard a soft voice. He moved further back into the alley, following the sound. Sitting in the dark shadows between two stands was a young woman. She was whispering softly to herself, a huge smile on her face. She stood quickly when she saw Malcolm and the others.

"I didn't do anything!" she said, the fear evident in her voice.

"No one said you did," replied Archer. He took a step toward the woman, pinning her in so she couldn't try to escape. "Are you Elsha?"

The woman hesitated, eyeing the captain fearfully. She nodded as she brought her hands up in front of her. "Don't hurt me," she pleaded.

"We won't hurt you. We just want to know where our friends are," said Archer with a gentle smile.

"I---I don't know."

Malcolm studied the woman carefully. She fidgeted nervously, her dark eyes darting everywhere but never settling on the captain's face. He moved up next to Archer. "Perhaps Hoshi would have better luck talking to her, sir."

Archer motioned for the ensign to step forward.

After several minutes, it became quite clear to Malcolm that Elsha wasn't entirely sane. The young woman went off on several tangents during her conversation with Hoshi, but the ensign finally managed to get her to talk about Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer. Malcolm swallowed hard when Elsha told in great detail how the two men were captured.

"Who took them?" asked Archer, suddenly stepping forward.

Elsha shuddered and shrank back from the captain.

"It's alright, Elsha," soothed Hoshi softly but the Eska woman still cowered.

"Elsha," said Abby stepping up next to Hoshi and in front of Captain Archer. She held a brightly colored scarf in her hand. "Would you like this?"

Elsha hesitated, her eyes moving quickly from the captain to Abby then to the scarf the ensign held. She tentatively reached a hand out to touch it.

"If you tell us who took our friends, you can have it."

The young woman licked her lips. "They were members of the Governor's Security Force," she blurted. Elsha grabbed the scarf and quickly brought it up to her face.

Malcolm was stunned. "Are you certain, Elsha?"

She nodded. "They gave me this necklace for helping them." Elsha dropped her hand to the amulet she wore around her neck. She held it up for the others to see. "They give me pretty things when I help them."

"You've helped them before?" asked Abby.

"Only once or twice, when we have new visitors," Elsha replied. She rubbed the scarf against her cheek and smiled. "May I go now?"

Archer nodded and they all stepped aside to let the woman leave. Malcolm watched Elsha run quickly out of the alley to be swallowed up in the market crowds. He turned to Captain Archer to wait for his orders.

"We need to see Governor Martis," the captain seethed.

>>>>>>>>>>

Trip sat up and took immediate stock of his surroundings. They were shut in a small room lit only by the daylight that filtered in through the tiny windows that lined one wall. Ensign Sawyer sat propped up against the wall next to the door, his chin resting on his chest. Trip rubbed the back of his head and grimaced then he carefully shifted his body, feeling the effects of the pummeling he'd taken. He was relieved to find nothing broken. Then he gingerly touched his temple and flinched. His fingers came away bloody and he wiped the red liquid off on the leg of his uniform.

"Jake?" he whispered then he crawled over to the ensign. He gently shook the man's shoulder.

Jacob's eyes slowly opened then closed tightly. "Oh my head," he groaned, bringing his hands up to cover his face.

"Are you okay?" asked Trip. He gently shook the ensign again. Jacob dropped his hands from his face and squinted at the engineer.

"Commander?"

"Come on, Ensign," Trip urged. With a little help, Jacob managed to sit up straight. Trip looked closely at the gash across the side of the older man's head then took in the darkening bruise across his left cheekbone. They had been captured fairly quickly even though both officers had put up a good fight. The seven men with their heavy batons had encircled their prey, leaving literally no chance for escape.

"What happened?"

Before Trip could answer, the door opened. He gasped audibly as Governor Martis entered the room dressed in camouflage gear. Two armed Eska men also dressed for the hunt followed behind him, their guns pointed at the two prisoners. Trip stood then helped Jacob to his feet.

"Governor, what the hell is going on here?" demanded the commander.

"Gentlemen," replied Martis. "You've been selected for our next hunt."

Trip looked askance at the Eska. "If you wanted us to join you, why didn't you just ask?"

"Because I knew the answer would be no." The governor motioned to his two men who proceeded to shove the two Starfleet officers out of the room. They were pushed down the hallway and stopped in front of a door. Martis stepped in front of them and unlocked and opened it. Trip was shoved into the room first followed closely by Jacob. Both men stared in disbelief at the sight before them.

"Oh Lord," gasped Jacob.

"You sonofabitch," whispered Trip with venom. He felt suddenly sick to his stomach as he looked at the glass cases displaying various alien beings. He recognized a Vulcan and a Klingon instantly. Both were male and set in positions of attack, their eyes lifeless. There were other beings but Trip looked away, settling a disgusted gaze on his host.

Martis simply smiled back at him. "Now you understand why I didn't ASK you, Commander."

Trip turned to Jacob who was staring back at him in horror. "We'll get out of this, Jake," he said quietly.

Martis laughed without mirth. "Prepare them for the hunt!" he ordered.

Trip and Jacob were pulled out of the room and forced down the hallway to a staircase that lead up to the main floor. They were directed out onto a porch where they were ordered to remove their boots and socks. Both men were given lightweight pants and tunics.

"Remove your uniforms!" ordered one of the guards. "We can't have them stained with anymore of your blood!"

"This is insane," seethed Trip. His comment was rewarded with a sharp rifle butt to his side. Jacob grabbed his arm to steady him. The ensign was punched in the stomach for his efforts.

"Change your clothes!" demanded the guard who'd hit Trip.

Both officers reluctantly changed from their uniforms into the Eska clothing.

"What about shoes?" asked Jacob.

Governor Martis stepped out onto the porch and inhaled the fresh air deeply. He turned to Trip and the ensign.

"You don't get shoes," he said with a cold smile. The old Eska stepped forward and leaned on the railing of the porch. "I'll give you until sunset before I start the hunt, gentlemen. That's about three hours from now. I suggest you get started."

Trip stared at the man in utter disbelief. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Three hours, Commander Tucker."

"Captain Archer will find us, Governor," said Jacob, taking a step toward the old man.

Martis threw his head back and laughed loudly. "He doesn't even know where you are! My home is protected by an energy field, which covers over 100 square kilometers. Your captain's sensors can't penetrate it." The governor turned to face his prey. "You only have three hours. Go!"

Trip grabbed Jacob's arm and hauled him off the porch. They both ran into the surrounding forest several meters before Trip stopped. He looked around. The forest was damp and there was a chill in the air. He guessed the temperature dropped dramatically when the sun sank over the horizon and they were definitely not dressed for cool weather. He turned around and peered back toward the house.

"Maybe we could sneak around and get back in the house. Find some weapons," he whispered.

Jacob nodded his agreement. The two men crouched down and slowly made their way to the back of the large dwelling. The ensign instinctively took the lead as they tentatively approached the back porch. They were about twenty meters away when Jacob suddenly was thrown back full force into Trip. Both men fell to the ground, stunned. The ensign shook his head and sat up.

"What the hell was that?" asked Trip quietly. He got to his feet and helped his companion to stand.

Jacob looked unsteady. "Some kind of jolt of energy, sir," he replied, brushing the leaves and dirt from his clothes. "It was like walking into a wall of electricity."

"Damn it," cursed Trip angrily. He paused, trying to think of their next move. "Come on, Jake. We gotta get moving."

>>>>>>>>>>

"Why would Governor Martis' own men take Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer, Captain?" asked Damrus as he paced back and forth behind the huge desk in the governor's office. He stopped and looked at the captain. "It doesn't make sense. Your witness must have been mistaken."

"Well someone took them, Damrus, and by force. We found human blood in that alley," said Jon through clenched teeth.

The Eska nodded his head. "I've got my security force looking for them as we speak, Captain."

Jon shifted in his chair uneasily then stood up. "Where is the governor, by the way?"

"He's taking the next week off. There was a sudden family emergency."

Jon looked at Malcolm who was still seated in front of the huge desk. The lieutenant rose to his feet, a look of suspicion crossing his face.

"A family emergency?" asked the tactical officer.

Damrus stopped his pacing and looked across the desk at the two officers. He appeared to be puzzling over something.

"What is it?" asked Jon. He leaned on the desk, his hands in fists.

"Nothing."

"Come on, Damrus. Something's bothering you about all of this," pressed the captain.

"Governor Martis is a great man, Captain. I know he isn't involved in the disappearance of your crewmen."

A knock at the door startled all three men. Jon and Malcolm turned around as it opened to reveal an Eska man dressed in a formal dark blue military uniform. The man stepped into the room then stood tall, his hands clasped behind his back.

"We have had no luck locating the two missing men, Deputy Governor," he reported briskly.

"Alright, Suzraan. Keep looking," directed Damrus.

"Yes, sir," responded the security officer. He turned and left the room, passing Hoshi and Abby who were just coming in.

"Captain, I contacted the sub-commander as you ordered. She's running a scan for human bio-signs right now," said Hoshi.

"Lets hope she comes up with something," replied Jon. He ran a hand through his hair. He felt helpless. Trip and Ensign Sawyer had been taken somewhere, possibly badly injured, and there was nothing he could do but wait. His thoughts focused on his best friend and he said a silent prayer that he'd see the chief engineer and ensign again very soon and in one piece. Jon reached in his pocket and pulled out his communicator. He looked down at it clutched tightly in his hand, and waited for T'Pol to hail him.

>>>>>>>>>>

The sun was beginning to go down. Trip and Jacob ran through the woods on bleeding feet, their clothes moist with their sweat. The engineer stumbled and fell, sliding across the damp leaves that covered the ground. He struggled to his feet with the ensign's help. They were both breathing hard.

"We need to rest a minute, Jake," Trip gasped. He stood straight, forcing his shoulders back in an attempt to loosen them. He ached all over from the beating he'd taken from the governor's men. He looked at his companion. His gray-streaked short dark hair was soaked and flattened against his head. Rivulets of perspiration ran down the sides of his face. Trip knew the ensign was hurting, too.

"How's your head?" he asked.

"It's fine, sir," Jacob managed between deep breaths. "It's getting dark. They'll be coming after us soon." He turned around to face the direction from which they came. "We left a pretty easy trail for them to follow."

Trip looked at the clear signs of their passing. "You're right. We'd better back-track a few meters then try to cover our tracks."

The two men made their way back over their trail then they started shuffling leaves around to hide their path. When they were finished, Trip surveyed their work. He guessed either Martis or one of his minions was an experienced tracker so they'd be lucky if they even slowed them down. Hopefully, at the very least it'd buy them a couple more hours.

"Come on, Jake. Let's get moving," urged the commander. He patted the ensign's arm.

They jogged on as the sun slowly sank over the horizon.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter Three

When Jacob tripped for the third time, Trip knew proceeding in the dark was going to be impossible without some rest. The two men huddled together underneath a tree, leaning back against the trunk for a brief respite.

"So what'd you do before Starfleet, Jake?" asked Trip after a few moments of silence. He rubbed his sore feet and gritted his teeth against the pain.

"I was a police detective in New York City," replied Jacob. "For thirteen long years.

"Wow. Why'd you give it up?"

"My wife and daughter died in an auto accident. After that, my heart wasn't in it. I decided I needed to leave New York."

Trip swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"It's okay. They were hard times but I managed, sir."

"Trip. Call me Trip."

"Commander?"

"We're outta uniform so let's just say we're off duty, Jake," Trip said with a smile. He shifted his sitting position and extended his legs out straight. "So why Starfleet?"

"I'd always dreamed of space travel. Ever since I was a kid. After I lost my family, I applied for a security job at Starfleet headquarters. That was five years ago. Anyway, I became determined to get on the Enterprise crew. I thought my age would be a factor, but the powers that be were impressed with my credentials and I passed all the physical requirements. So here I am, a forty two year old ensign on Earth's first deep space starship."

Trip felt Jacob bump his shoulder as he moved to get comfortable.

"Why don't you get some sleep, Commander," whispered the security officer. "I'll keep the first watch."

"We can't sleep. The Eska have these incredible night vision sensors, way more advanced than what we have, so they're not going to stop. We only have three hours on them. Maybe more if we hid our trail well enough. We need to keep moving until the cap'n can find us."

"Do you think he can? The governor said we're hidden by an energy field."

"He'll find us, Jake."

>>>>>>>>>>

Malcolm stood at the window of the governor's office watching the sunrise. He looked over the city of Tritaan, his thoughts on the missing commander and ensign. They were out there somewhere, he knew. And he wouldn't stop searching until they were found.

"Lieutenant?"

Malcolm turned around. Crewman Peters stood in front of him holding a plate of fruits and sweet rolls.

"No thank you, Crewman. I'm not very hungry," he said waving his hand.

"Eat something, Malcolm," ordered the captain from his seat at the front of the governor's over-sized desk.

Malcolm took the plate from Abby. "Thank you."

She smiled half-heartedly then quietly left the room. Malcolm moved to the desk and set his plate down. He watched Captain Archer pull apart a roll, then leave it uneaten on his plate.

"I think you need to eat something as well, Captain."

Archer looked up at his armory officer then sat back in his chair. "Damrus should have been back by now," he said in exasperation. He rose to his feet and began pacing. "I get the feeling he's keeping something from us."

"You're right, Captain."

Archer and Malcolm both looked at the man standing in the doorway. Damrus walked over to the window and stared out over the city. He sighed then turned to face the other two men.

"About two months ago, an Alkanon envoy arrived to tour the capital city. One of their females disappeared the second day they were here. We never found her."

"You think what ever happened to this woman is the same thing that's happened to Trip and Ensign Sawyer?" asked Archer.

"I'm not sure. I was just looking back at some old records. There are other recorded disappearances over the years." Damrus walked to the desk and set down a padd he'd been holding. Malcolm picked it up and studied the data on its face. The captain looked over his shoulder.

"The last person to vanish prior to the Alkanon was a Klingon freighter pilot who was forced to crash land due to a systems failure on his ship. They never found a body at the crash site. That was three years ago," said Malcolm.

Damrus nodded. "There are ten documented disappearances over the last twenty years. All from different species and all vanished without a trace."

"And the governor just happened to take time off at the same time," pointed out Archer.

"I probably wouldn't have checked except that Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer vanished so soon after the Alkanon."

"Where would he take them?" asked the lieutenant. He placed the padd back on the desk. "If he is indeed involved."

"I don't know," sighed Damrus. He sat in the governor's chair and leaned forward. "I can't believe he IS involved." He dropped his head in his hands, his fingers spread through his hair. "Has your ship been able to detect any bio signs?"

Archer shook his head. "T'Pol's been running continuous scans through the night. Last time she checked in, there was still no sign of them." The captain began pacing again.

"Captain, we may have found something," said Hoshi as she and Abby entered the room. She handed him a data padd on which a map was displayed. "The sub-commander has detected something strange in this area, sir." She circled a spot on the map with her finger.

"What do you mean? Something strange?" asked Archer peering at the map. "Human bio signs?"

"No. No signs of any life at all, sir."

Malcolm sighed. "Then what's so strange, Ensign?" he asked not able to hide his frustration.

"Our sensors have been able to pick up the Eska and the animal life but they don't register any readings at all in this section. The sub-commander said she wouldn't have noticed it except that it only occurs here and nowhere else. And she believes the pattern is too uniform to be a natural phenomena."

"Let me see," said Damrus. He rose from his chair and took the padd from Captain Archer to study it. "This is just an area of deep forest out in the middle of nowhere. No one lives out there. I think your sub-commander is grasping at straws, Captain." He handed the padd back to Archer.

>>>>>>>>>>

"Ouch!" gasped Trip. He pulled his right hand back, examining the two puncture marks just below his thumb.

"Are you okay, sir?" asked Jacob.

Trip shook his hand. "Yeah."

The two men began covering their trail again in the early morning sunlight. They had walked through the night, barking their shins and ankles on unseen obstacles in the pitch black of night. Trip hurt all over and his feet were nearly raw. Now as the sun peeked through the trees, Trip reveled in the slight warmth it brought to his chilled body.

"Hold it," whispered Jacob with a tilt of his head. He grabbed Trip's arm. "Someone's coming."

Trip now heard the movement in the underbrush. His heart rate immediately picked up, adrenaline flowing at a near sickening pace. The two men started running, dodging through the trees. The first phaser shot hit a bush less than a meter from Jacob. The ensign flinched away, nearly running into Trip.

"How'd they find us so fast?"

"I don't know!" replied Trip between gulps of air. They continued weaving, phaser fire hitting all around them.

After about an hour, the two men slowed. The assault had stopped several minutes ago. Trip exchanged a questioning look with his companion.

"They stopped," Jacob rasped. "Why?"

"Probably don't want to expend too much energy," replied Trip as he stopped and leaned against a tree. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Why run after your prey when your prey has no way to escape? This is a game for Martis, Jake. He's gonna play it out as long as he can."

"We should keep moving, Commander," said the ensign.

"Trip, Jake. It's Trip. And yeah, you're right." They took off again at a jog.

"Do you have any idea how many there are?" asked the older man, ducking under a low hanging limb.

Trip shook his head. "No idea. My guess would be only Martis and maybe three or four of his henchmen."

"If we could take out one of them, at least we'd have a weapon."

"Divide and conquer?"

Jacob nodded. "I could circle back around behind them while you keep moving forward."

Trip stopped. He swiped his hand over his sweaty forehead. "It's too dangerous, Jake."

"Any better ideas, sir? Trip?" The ensign smiled. "I can do this, I know I can. Then we'd have a weapon. We'd stand a chance of surviving until Captain Archer can find us."

The engineer leaned over at the waist, putting his hands on his knees. He couldn't catch his breath. He felt Jacob's hand on his back.

"You alright?"

Trip nodded but stayed bent over. He was feeling suddenly hot and he wiped at his forehead again. After a few moments, he stood straight again, taking deep breaths and trying to relax.

"Let me do this, Trip." Jacob was watching him closely, a look of concern on his face.

"Okay," Trip relented. "I'll keep moving. I'll wind around a bit then head back to the tree we rested at last night. We'll meet there at sunset." He reached out and grabbed Jacob's arm before the older man could turn away. "You be careful, Jake."

The ensign smiled and nodded then he took off at a run. Trip watched him go. He looked briefly up at the graying sky. Rain.

"Great. Just great," he mumbled under his breath. He wiped his brow again then took off running again.

>>>>>>>>>>

The storm had hit mid-afternoon. Trip had rested only briefly a few times, driven on by the knowledge he was still being hunted. When the rains came, he had already begun his trek back to the agreed meeting place. He was still feeling unusually warm even with the cold rain beating down on him. And he ached all over, every move painful. He kept pushing himself, knowing that Jacob would be there, waiting for him, phase rifle in hand. He smiled at the thought.

It was just beginning to get dark when Trip found himself at the tree from the night before. Jacob was there, sitting with his back against the trunk.

"I failed, sir," the ensign mumbled.

"Jake!" Trip gasped as he saw the red soaking his friend's tunic. He moved instantly to his side and knelt down. "How bad?"

"Its bad, sir. Real bad." Jacob coughed harshly, blood appearing on his lips. "I climbed a tree so I could see where they were but I fell. I impaled myself on a broken limb." He coughed again.

"Shhhh, don't talk," whispered Trip. He carefully helped the injured man lie down then he gently lifted his shirt. Trip cursed softly. Although it was getting darker, he could see enough to know instantly that the injury was serious. He quickly took off his own tunic then removed the blue undershirt he'd kept on. He carefully folded it and pressed it against the gaping wound, hoping to at least slow the blood loss.

"Go on, sir."

"What? I'm not leaving you!" Trip said with conviction as he put his tunic on again.

"You have to, Commander. Maybe if they find me, they'll let you go. They only need one human trophy."

"I'm not leaving you!" Trip repeated vehemently. The rain was falling harder and he looked up at the sky. He knew that in moments it would be completely dark. "We need to find someplace to hide until morning. Gotta get you out of the rain and give you time to rest."

"Trip."

"Don't say it, Ensign Sawyer!"

Jacob fell quiet. Trip stood up and peered through the dim light at his surroundings. He could barely make out a dense thicket a few meters behind the tree. He carefully bent and grasped Jacob under his arms. He pulled the older man into the thicket then turned to cover the signs of their passage. Finally satisfied, Trip settled down in the underbrush next to his friend, pulling at fallen limbs to further conceal their hiding place.

"You okay?" he asked. He gave the ensign a gentle nudge but there was no response.

>>>>>>>>>>

"Damrus, it's been over thirty-two hours since my people disappeared!" yelled Jon angrily. "And you don't have any leads yet!"

"We're doing everything we can to find them, Captain!"

Jon stalked back and forth across the governor's office. They'd all gone back to the marketplace that afternoon to help search for more witnesses or more clues but they'd come up empty. He stopped in front of the view case that held the bird of prey. Poor creature, he thought. He turned and looked at each of the cases in the room, suddenly sickened by the display. The captain moved to the window and looked out at the falling rain. Lightning slashed across the dark sky, illuminating the city spread before him. The thunder that followed the flash of light rattled the glass. Jon closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the window. Trip was out there somewhere.

"Captain?"

Jon didn't move. He felt Damrus come up to stand beside him.

"You should go join your crew and try to get some sleep."

"I'm not leaving here until we find them, Damrus."

"I know that, Captain."

"Has Governor Martis checked in yet?"

"No."

Jon straightened and turned to face the Eska. "Don't you find that odd?"

"Very odd. It looks like he may indeed be involved in your men's abductions."

"Think, Damrus. Where would he take them?"

"I honestly don't know, Captain. We've checked his home here in the city as well as his cabin in the mountains. We've check with his brother in Sureeto. He has no knowledge of a family emergency."

Jon slammed his fist against the wall. "Are you sure your men can be trusted? Couldn't they be loyal to Martis?"

"I've only sent my most trusted comrades, Captain. They're loyal to me only."

"Damn it," Jon cursed. He turned away and looked at each of the display cases again. "I'm going to take our shuttle pod when this storm passes to take a closer look at that area where our sensors don't pick up any readings."

Damrus sighed. "Captain, I told you there's nothing out there. You won't find anything."

"It's the only thing we have right now. I think it's worth a look," Jon replied.

>>>>>>>>>>

Chapter Four

Trip came awake with a jolt. He felt disoriented. His head was pounding and he was burning up. He turned to look at Jacob. The ensign seemed to be sleeping. It was still dark but the rain had stopped and with it, the thunder and lightning. Trip quietly pulled himself up to his knees then promptly turned his head and vomited. He wondered briefly why since he hadn't eaten anything since their capture but he quickly dismissed that thought and focused on his companion. In the darkness it was hard to tell but he thought that the bleeding had stopped. He felt Jacob's forehead and was relieved to feel that it was only slightly warm. Trip suddenly froze. Governor Martis was after them. Panic began to rise and he knew he had to get Jacob to safety.

"Come on, Jake," he grunted as he stood and pulled the older man to a sitting position. "We've gotta get moving." He hefted the man over his shoulder, grimacing at the weight on his tired and sore body.

Trip moved through the dark as quickly as he could. He had no idea what direction he was going but he kept driving forward, his feet occasionally slipping in the muck that was the forest floor.

"Someone's coming, Jake," he whispered, turning to look behind him. He ducked behind a large tree, gasping for breath. He carefully laid the ensign down then stood over him protectively, peering around the tree trunk. He waited but no one came.

Trip looked down at his companion. "Jake?"

There was no response. Trip knelt down beside his friend and grabbed his wrist. He searched for a pulse and found nothing. He bent, placing his ear to Jacob's chest. Nothing.

"No," he rasped. He tried to revive Jacob until there was no strength left in his arms. He sat back, fighting the dizziness from lack of oxygen then he vomited again. The last thing he saw before he collapsed was the ensign's pale, expressionless face barely lit by the first rays of daybreak.

>>>>>>>>>>

He blinked his eyes, trying to focus on the gray clouds that floated above him. It was daylight and it was raining again, the cool moisture soothing his warm skin. Trip sat up slowly and looked around. Jacob was lying next to him and he nudged him with his hand. No response. Then he remembered what had happened and he felt the sobs begin to rise. He shook his head, determined not to fall apart. He still had to get his friend to safety. There was no way he'd leave him behind, especially to become a sick trophy for some maniac's collection. Trip got to his feet then leaned heavily against the tree trunk as the world started spinning. When his head cleared, he bent down and pulled Jacob up then over his shoulder. He turned when he heard a noise behind him. Trip started moving, trying to keep in the dark of the big trees. He stepped from one big trunk to the next, stopping to cast a glance behind him.

"I won't let them get us, Jacob. I promise you that," he whispered. His legs began shaking but the engineer pressed on.

By mid-afternoon, he was too tired to take another step. Trip gently laid Jacob on the ground across a few fallen limbs then sat down at the ensign's side. He drank some rainwater that had pooled in a big leaf that lay next to him. He found another leaf and carefully dribbled the water into Jacob's mouth.

"I won't let them get us," he mumbled. Trip leaned back against a tree trunk. "I'm so tired, Jake. And I think I may be getting sick." He looked down at his friend. "Are you doing okay? The bleeding finally stopped." The engineer leaned over and laid a hand on Jacob's forehead. "You're not running a fever." He sat back and smiled. "Good news, good news."

Somewhere nearby a twig snapped. Trip sat straight then struggled to his feet. He peered out through the misty rain but couldn't see anyone. As quietly as he could, the commander covered Jacob in leaves and broken limbs. When he was satisfied that his friend was well hidden, Trip back tracked over his trail then inched back to Jacob, carefully covering his path as he went. He listened and watched the forest intently. After several moments, the engineer sat back down. He closed his eyes against the sudden rise of nausea and swallowed hard.

"Cap'n'll be here soon," he murmured. "Cap'n'll be here soon, Jake."

>>>>>>>>>>

The shuttle pod lurched violently.

"Bloody hell," cursed Malcolm under his breath. He struggled to keep the tiny craft airborne.

"What was that?" asked Captain Archer from behind him.

"I'm not sure, sir," Malcolm replied as the shuttle lurched again. He turned the pod and flew back in the direction from which they had just flown. The pitching eased then stopped entirely.

"It appears we now know why our sensors weren't detecting any life, Captain," said Sub-commander T'Pol. The Vulcan science officer had transported down at daybreak, insisting she be allowed to join the search for their two missing crewmen. Now she sat at the station just behind Malcolm and to his right. He could hear her fingers moving quickly over the keyboard. Malcolm turned his head enough so that he could see her.

"What is it?" asked Archer from the seat across from his first officer.

"An energy field, sir."

"An energy field?"

"Yes, Captain. It appears to end at the tops of the trees."

"Where is its source?" asked Malcolm.

"I am unable to pinpoint its location. I suggest we set down and proceed on foot."

"Malcolm? Set us down," directed Archer. He pulled out his communicator and filled in Hoshi and Abby on their plans. "Tell Damrus to get out here as soon as he can. If my gut is right, we're going to need his help. Archer out."

After landing in a small clearing, the three officers moved toward the energy field's edge. T'Pol held her scanner out in front of her, reading the data intently. Malcolm wandered to and fro through the trees, looking and hoping for a clue to his comrades' whereabouts.

"Do you detect any bio signs?" asked Archer coming up beside T'Pol. Malcolm heard the hope in his voice.

"Yes. Four Eska and----one Human," she reported quietly. She turned slightly. "In that direction approximately fifteen kilometers."

"One Human?" managed Archer.

T'Pol looked up at him with gentle eyes. "Yes, sir."

Malcolm swallowed the fear that constricted his throat. Only one, he thought then he closed his eyes.

>>>>>>>>>>

He was tired, his heart pumping blood to exhausted limbs. He stumbled and fell to his knees in the mud, the man he was carrying sliding to the ground from his shoulder. He could hear them behind him, moving through the trees and underbrush, approaching, always just behind him..

Trip threw up violently, spitting the rancid tasting bile on the ground. He lifted a shaking hand to wipe the sweat that was dripping into his eyes. He threw up again but nothing came out. He hurt more than he ever had hurt before.

"I don't know if I can go on, Jake," he whispered. "I don't feel so hot."

But he could hear them behind him. Trip struggled to his feet then reached for his friend. He didn't have the strength to lift him so he grabbed both Jacob's wrists and began pulling him.

"There you are!"

Trip looked up to see four men watching him. Governor Martis stepped forward, a cold smile spread across his worn features. Trip squinted at him, trying to clear his foggy vision. He watched as the Eska moved to kneel beside Jacob.

"Don't you touch him," Trip said through gritted teeth. He could feel his whole body trembling.

The old man lifted his head to look squarely at the engineer. He tilted his head slightly then smiled again. Then he stood and fired his rifle, hitting Jacob in the middle of the chest. The body jerked sickeningly.

"No!" screamed Trip. He lunged at the old man with all his remaining strength but fell on all fours as the man easily stepped aside. Trip crawled to Jacob's side and grabbed the man's tunic in his fists. "No," he repeated.

"Well, Commander. This isn't exactly the way I wanted this hunt to end."

Trip tried to stand but fell helplessly to his knees. He suddenly felt himself being hauled to his feet. Two of the Eska hunters held him between them. Martis stepped close, the smell of his breath made Trip feel sick.

"You're ill but your pallor can be fixed during the embalming process," the old man said. He nodded his head at his men who promptly let go of the engineer and stepped away. Trip managed to remain on his feet.

"Run, Commander," Martis commanded. "I'm giving you another chance."

Trip turned to look down at Jacob. "No," he said defiantly.

"Run!" yelled the governor. He aimed his rifle at Trip's feet and fired, the blast hitting only centimeters away from his flesh. He fired again and again. Trip stumbled away but immediately collapsed on his knees in the mud. He struggled to get back up. He jerked his hand away as a phaser blast hit the ground next to it. Martis fired again and the shot singed Trip's arm, making him gasp in pain. The engineer's vision was dimming but he kept struggling.

"Stop it, Martis!"

>>>>>>>>>>

Jon stared in horror as the governor aimed his rifle at Trip again. The old man laughed, completely ignoring Damrus' demand.

"Governor, please!"

Martis turned to face his deputy, who had raised a phase pistol at the old man. The two men stared at each other, neither one lowering his weapon. The governor slowly turned his head to look around at the security force that surrounded him and his men.

"Please," pleaded Damrus. "Stop this."

Martis smiled warmly at the man who'd been his right hand for fifteen years.

"I'm sorry, my friend," he whispered then he turned to aim at Trip. Damrus fired and the governor dropped to the ground.

"Trip," gasped Jon as he ran to his engineer's side. He dropped to his knees in the mud and put his arm around his friend.

Trip jerked away and began crawling to Jacob. "I can't leave him," he murmured weakly.

"Commander," said Malcolm gently. He was kneeling next to Jacob's body. "He's dead, sir."

Trip ignored the lieutenant and gripped the ensign's shirt in his fists. He made a feeble effort to pull him.

"Trip," said Jon as he moved up next to the commander. He put his hands over Trip's. "He's dead."

The engineer leaned his forehead against Jacob's ribcage. Jon could feel his hands loosen their grip. He gently pulled his friend toward him, carefully cradling him in his arms. T'Pol knelt down and put a hand on Trip's cheek. Her eyes met Jon's and no words were necessary. The captain looked down at his long time friend. Trip's eyes were open but unfocused. Jon pulled him against his chest, holding him as tightly as he could.

>>>>>>>>>>

Malcolm hit the button and the coffin disappeared through the torpedo tube. He remembered loading the half dozen coffins on board before Enterprise launched. He had hoped all those months ago that they would never have to put one to use but Governor Martis had dashed those hopes. He closed his eyes briefly then turned his head to look at Trip. The commander stood between Sub-commander T'Pol and Dr. Phlox, leaning heavily on them both. He looked pale and very, very weak but he had insisted that Captain Archer allow him to attend the memorial service for Ensign Sawyer. The entire crew had packed into the armory to say their goodbyes and now they were slowly making their exit.

"Lets get you back to sickbay, Commander," said Phlox. Trip's legs gave out and the Denobulan and the Vulcan tightened their hold on him. Captain Archer quickly moved to his friend.

Trip looked up at him. "I'm so sorry, sir," he whispered.

Malcolm followed behind as they took the engineer back to sickbay. He and the captain hovered nearby as Phlox and T'Pol settled Trip into a bio bed. Malcolm couldn't believe that two days ago the commander was at death's door. Phlox had done everything he could to find the antidote to the venom that had been injected into Trip's system from the bite to his hand. If the Eska medical community hadn't helped they would have been saying their goodbyes to the engineer as well.

"There now, try to get some rest, Commander," said Phlox gently. He patted Trip's shoulder, checked the monitors above the engineer's head then quietly stepped away. Malcolm and Archer joined T'Pol at the side of the bed.

"Did Damrus find the house?" asked Trip in a weak voice.

Archer nodded. "They burned it to the ground. Damrus was disgusted by what Martis had done."

Trip closed his eyes. "I couldn't save him, Cap'n."

The captain put a hand over the engineer's hand then leaned close to him. "Don't do this to yourself, Trip," he said gently.

"I'm sorry," Trip murmured, his eyes still closed. Archer smiled warmly at his friend as the younger man slipped into a deep sleep.

"Will the commander be alright, Captain?" asked T'Pol. Malcolm looked across the bed at her in surprise. He knew he didn't have the keen ability to read her like the commander did, but he did detect a shadow of concern on her normally unreadable face.

"He's strong, T'Pol. It'll take some time and some help from all of us, but I think he'll be okay," replied the captain. "We better let him sleep."

The sub-commander and captain turned to leave.

"Are you coming, Malcolm?" asked Archer when the lieutenant didn't move.

"I'll be just a moment, sir."

Archer smiled knowingly at him then he and the sub-commander left sickbay.

Malcolm stepped up closer to Trip. "I'll make sure you're okay, Commander. I've never had a friend like you before so I'll be damned if I'm going to let you fall apart," he whispered. "I know Captain Archer feels the same way. Maybe even Sub-commander T'Pol, surprisingly enough. You know, its funny. I've never thought I had anything in common with the captain. In reality I do. You." Malcolm gently patted Trip's arm and smiled down at his sleeping friend. He pulled his hand away when Dr. Phlox stepped up to his side.

"I best be going, Doctor. Take good care of him."

"I certainly will, Lieutenant. I certainly will," responded Phlox. Malcolm turned and exited sickbay with a sense of loss but also a sense of peace washing over him.

THE END

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Half a dozen of you have made comments

Well done, Plum. Another great story featuring our favourite engineer. I'd previously read this on ffnet but that takes nothing away from enjoying it again, here.

Excellent, this was really good. Full of tension and the charactisations were spot on. I could so easily see Trip reacting like this and it was moving how Trip would not accept Crewman Sawyer was dead, even to the point of carrying his body through the forest. I liked it how T'Pol was concerned about him as well. Everybody pulling together and that awful Governor Martis getting his come uppance at the end (hooray!). Great stuff, thanks for a rollicking good story. Ali D :~)

Thanks for another wonderful story. You really make us feel Trip's emotions, and, of course, feel for him. Many thanks, more please!

I've read this before as well, and I consider it an excellent story showing Trip's loyalty and moral fiber. Great work!

Thanks for another great story Plum.

I've read this before on FF, but it still remains one of my favourites that I like to read time and time again.

Excellent story didnt want it to end. Thank you so much.