Testament of the Spirit

Testament of the Spirit

by SpaceCowboy

Rated: R
Genre: Action/Angst

Author’s Note

The following story may seem familiar to some. Under an entirely different fandom/genre this story was born.

I felt it needed a good home. Testament of the Spirit has existed as both mythology and western, but it wasn’t until it was re-structured for science fiction that I felt it had found it’s proper place in the fan fiction world. And in this genre it will rest.

This story has not only received a large face-lift and multiple edits, it has been re-structured with new ideas woven into the plot. So in essence, to those of you who may have read this story in another genre, TotS may seem different.

I greatly appreciate any and all comments and constructive criticism. All that I ask is that you please be specific if you don’t like the story- or parts wherein. I wish to improve my writing, and actually quite enjoy hearing where, and how it can be refined.

On another note, this story contains graphic images from moderate to severe- depending on your threshold. The content, language, subjects and themes are also adult in nature, and not recommended for children. But that of course, is also dependent on the reader’s threshold. And when I say ‘adult nature’, I’m not referring to sexual situations; of which there are none.

Thank you,
SpaceCowboy.

P.S. This story is complete. Although I will be posting it by chapters over time, I assure you, it is a finished product.

This story is rated R.
Archive all ya want.
All rights, and some of the lefts, reserved by whom ever owns them… cause, unfortunately, it ain’t me.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Prologue

IT WAS ROUND. And it hung in space, a green and blue sphere. But that was all the planet had in common with Earth.

Captain Jonathon Archer sat in his chair staring at the view screen, chin resting in hand and foot tapping in beat with the engine’s thrum at rest. His Vulcan Science Officer, Sub-Commander T’Pol, was gathering logistics. Ensign Hoshi Sato, Enterprise’s Communication Officer, was studying the linguistics, while the Armoury Officer, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, evaluated the possible threat of danger.

A voice broke the collective concentration, pre-empted by a soft whoosh of turbo lift doors and jovial humming. The captain didn’t have to turn around to recognize his Chief Engineer entering the bridge.

“Commander Tucker, how goes it?” asked Archer.

“It goes smoothly,” drawled the Floridian, Charles ‘Trip’ Tucker III, taking his seat. “That is of course if you’re referring to the ship.”

Archer turned slightly. “Does that mean you’re not running smoothly?”

Trip scratched his temple, eyes glaring at the armoury officer to his left. “Well, aside from a nagging Englishman.”

“I wouldn’t nag if you would just get off your-”

“I’m sure the commander will get to your phase cannons as soon as he has time,” placated Archer.

“Thank you, Captain,” replied Trip, a sly grin shot in Reed’s direction.

“Captain, I’m sure you’re well aware of the possibilities of hostile aliens,” started Reed. “An attack could come without...”

“That is unlikely, Lieutenant,” interrupted T’Pol. “It’s logical to assume no threat would be forthcoming from this planet. It appears to be equivalent to Earth during its nineteenth century.”

The captain turned. “Is that true, Lieutenant?”

Reed lowered his head. “Yes, Captain. But this is a star ship...”

“And that is a planet,” rebuked Trip, pointing a finger at the view screen.

“Lieutenant Reed, what have you learned so far?” appeased Archer. “You know first contact is one of my passions, and I really don’t like to be kept waiting.”

Reed straightened in his chair. “Sub-Commander T’Pol is correct...” he started, then paused expectantly.

“And?” urged Archer.

“I’m sorry,” replied Reed. “I was waiting for someone to interrupt me. The planet is vastly behind us technologically. Their army, it they do so have one, is probably armed with no more than sticks and stones. But there is only so much our scanners can tell from this distance.”

The captain nodded, turned to his linguistics officer. “Any luck with the dialects, Hoshi?”

The young ensign raised her head. “It was actually quite simple to decipher, sir. The planet is called Hexite, and aside from a few facial markings and a penchant for leather, they aren’t much different than humans- cosmetically speaking, of course.”

“Except they live several hundred light-years from Earth,” smiled the captain. Then he returned his eyes to the spinning planet before him. “Looks like it’s time for...” he paused, turned to his science officer.

“Yes, Captain?”

“I was just waiting for you to interrupt me,” Archer replied.

T’Pol raised a quizzical eyebrow. “And why is that, Captain?”

“I thought you’d like to dissuade me from prepping an away team and jumping right in.”

T’Pol let out a slow breath as her eyes fell to the console before her. “I believe that would be a redundant gesture,” she replied. “You would only go down there despite my precautions.”

Archer stifled a grin. “You’re learning, T’Pol.”

With renewed energy, the captain rose and headed for the lift. “I think I’ll take the Doctor on this one. Trip, Reed, you too. But only on your best behaviour. I think a little outdoors will do you both some good. And T’Pol, Hoshi, why don’t you join us?” Archer raised a hand, palm outwards in salutation. “Mayweather, you have the bridge. But no parties till the parents come home.”

~

Three days.

That was the allotted time for the away team to survey the new planet and avoid any type of first contact. Archer was very specific about that. After previous near catastrophes, he wanted as little technology as possible on the planet. Armed with only basic modern necessities; tricorders, communicators and new ear implanted universal translators, the away team had departed fully outfitted and barring small cosmetic enhancements complimentary of Doctor Phlox.

Ensign Travis Mayweather, the ship’s primary helmsman, was also given three days to partake in a mission of his own. He had been put in charge of the bridge before, but there had always been a higher ranking officer nearby that could jump in at any given moment.

But this time was different. There were higher ranks on board, but Mayweather had been given full control of Enterprise for the next three days to survey a pulsar in a neighbouring system. It wasn’t the glamorous first command he’d dreamt of, but it was still worth writing home about.

He stood inches from the captain’s chair, eyeing it wearily with a hint of anticipation. Travis Mayweather had sat in it once before, but only briefly, and the situation had ended rather embarrassingly. So now, as he stood at the cusp of command once again, he was hesitant about taking the actual seat.

Holding his breath, Travis finally took the seat gingerly. It felt comfortable. It felt powerful. He started to relax into the grey leather and pulled up the monitor to his left. Given that it was his first command, the Captain, T’Pol and Commander Tucker had left several lists and itineraries for him to follow. Engineering had been handed to Lieutenant Hess. Trip had left the ship in good shape, so Travis didn’t feel there would be any forthcoming problems as far as the engines were concerned.

Also prior to departure, Sub-Commander T’Pol had organized the survey team to undertake the investigation of the star. So that was another agenda Travis didn’t have to worry about either.

And of course the captain had all but drawn a map to the star. Co-ordinates were already punched in, a return route and designated times were already established, and the shuttle from the planet had already returned. So all Travis had to do was give the command.

He sat high in the chair, a grin unbearably wide on his face. “We are a go for launch,” he said proudly. “Take her out, straight and steady.”

~

“Your translator is showing,” stated T’Pol. She pointed to her captain’s ear then adjusted her leather plainsman coat.

“I really wish we could have tested these things more before we split up,” he replied, tugging his right earlobe. Then he reached under his coat to remove his tricorder.

“I have complete trust in Ensign Sato’s abilities,” said T’Pol. “As well as Commander Tucker’s. If they say they are in working order...”

Archer frowned. “I wasn’t undermining them...”

“Captain,” interrupted T’Pol. “I believe we should get a move on. We only have three days before Ensign Mayweather returns, and aside from the few supplies we brought down, we are going to need to purchase more in the town up ahead. We should get going.”

Captain Archer entered their current co-ordinates into his tricorder so they wouldn’t forget their pick-up site. Then he nodded and turned to leave, tucking his tricorder back into the utility belt under his coat. “Trip and Reed went south, Hoshi and the Doc headed north-east, so I guess it’s west for us.” He paused and pointed a dramatic arm in their intended direction. “Wagon’s west!” he called.

“Captain,” stated T’Pol. “We have no wagons.”

“It’s an old Earth saying,” replied Archer. “When the American settlers were heading out west during the great push, they always started by saying ‘wagons west’. Forgive me, I’m feeling a little nostalgic in this cowboy get up.” Archer looked down at his costume with a smile.

T’Pol eyed him wearily. “I was not aware cowboys wore universal translators implanted in their ears.”

Archer pulled on his right earlobe again. “Well, they didn’t,” he replied. “And I can’t say they would have enjoyed them much either. As useful as they are, and I’m quite thankful for Trip’s ingenuity on this one, they are annoying. It feels like I’ve got water in my ear.”

“They take time to adjust,” stated T’Pol. “But they are easier to hide, and decrease the use of our communicators- an obvious sign of alien technology. Now I suggest we hurry. It will be getting dark soon.”

~

Hoshi Sato believed the town across the lake took away from the naturalistic beauty of the planet. Enclosed by flat fields, purple mountains and water, she couldn’t envision a more beautiful place to be- other than Earth. The landscape, with all its majestic beauty, was scattered with shady palm-like trees and emerald grass. And the pockets of water located discriminately throughout the fields were the colour of lima beans mixed with blue crayon.

There were strong undertones of Earth’s Asian landscapes, but the young linguistic officer tried to ignore them and concentrate on the fact that this was an alien world. She stepped forward, dipping a naked foot into the warm water. There was no sand at this shore, only rocks and mud. Closing her eyes, she dreamed of being on a beach somewhere, maybe Risa.

“You’ve disappeared, Ensign,” stated the Denobulan Doctor Phlox. “And apparently, so have I.”

Hoshi Sato looked over her shoulder and saw the doctor standing on the raised shore, studying his tricorder. “I can see you if that’s any consequence.”

Phlox glanced up. “I don’t mean physically,” he replied. “There’s an abundance of minerals and semi-charged particles in the soil of this planet. Normal scan parameters are working, but unfortunately bio-scans are all but impossible. According to this, we don’t exist,” he finished, holding up his tricorder.

Hoshi put her boot back on and headed up to the doctor’s location. “Maybe we should inform the captain?”

“I believe Captain Archer ordered communication discipline unless it was a dire emergency. As long as we still have verbal communication, I don’t see this being an emergency yet.”

Hoshi leaned over the doctor’s arm, studying the tricorder. “Well, we meet up in a few hours, we can tell him then. Besides, if we’ve figured it out, he probably has too.” She looked up and out over the countryside. “Have you learned anything else interesting?”

“I saw what seems to be a billboard back there,” stated Phlox. “Again no picture, but the translator believes it’s another claim towards the greatness of their leader.”

“They love their sovereign way too much here,” Hoshi replied. “It can’t be healthy.”

“We’ve barely met the people and you’re already forming opinions. I believe that can’t be very healthy.”

Hoshi threw the doctor an annoyed grin. “That’s what? The tenth banner we’ve seen so far? We only left the shuttle a short while ago, and we haven’t been walking that fast. We haven’t covered that much ground.”

“Either way, I think we should follow the road into the town across the lake,” replied Phlox. “I believe that is the rendezvous point.”

Hoshi complied with the doctor’s advice and started back towards the unpaved road. She looked up at the sky, smiled at the two suns; each falling into separate horizons. The effect threw dim oranges, pinks and purples across the sky. “It’s a beautiful place,” she said. “I wonder how the others are doing.”

*More to Come*

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