What Does Not Kill Us- Chapter 21

What Does Not Kill Us

by Thalia Drogna

Rating: R
Genre: Action/Adventury, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters, I’m just borrowing them

~~~

Chapter 21

Trip landed the shuttlepod on the landing pad the nanites directed him to. He was met by two Xindi reptilian guards who walked him into the base. Although he knew where he was going, the nanites knew their way around. This was where they had been born.

He felt like a passenger in his own body, only vaguely aware of his own surroundings. He was taken into a lab and sat down in the chair which awaited him. The reptilians fastened restraints across his arms and legs. In the centre of the room was a large transparent, glass cylinder that was about two metres across and reached up to the ceiling. The cylinder contained a black liquid which undulated in a strange manner, almost as if it was alive. Clear pipes led out of the cylinder, along which the black liquid moved. A Xindi sloth came into view, he held a small device in his hand which Trip recognised as a remote control. He pressed a button and the silver faded from Trip’s eyes. It was suddenly as if Trip was waking from a very bad dream.

“Homing program complete,” said the nanites.

“Son of a bitch! Let me out of here!” he shouted, struggling against the restraints. This couldn’t be happening, he hadn’t just stolen a shuttlepod and delivered himself to the Xindi. But here he was, once again in a Xindi lab, the one place in the whole universe that he didn’t want to be.

“Please remain calm, Commander, you’ll only hurt yourself,” said the Xindi sloth.

“Like you care what happens to me. Who the hell are you and just what the hell do you think you’re doing? Enterprise is going to realise something’s wrong and come looking for me.” He hoped and prayed that he was right about the last part, he couldn’t go through the torture he’d endured before again.

“My name is Ven Dath,” said the Xindi sloth. “My father built the nanoprobes that now reside in your body.”

“You must be very proud,” said Trip, sarcastically.

“Yes, I am, even if he never realised their full potential. He misguidedly thought that they should be used for diagnosis and repairs. I re-engineered them to include their sabotage function. Of course when you conducted your little experiment you kicked them back into their original function. That was never supposed to happen. Enterprise should have been disabled as soon as you touched the first piece of technology, unfortunately they became active earlier than they were supposed to, a function of your bizarre human biology. We have been able to learn a lot from you as a test subject.”

“Test subject?” asked Trip.

“Yes. Once my reptilian colleagues realised that you weren’t going to talk easily using the usual methods they started looking for less usual methods. My plan was already nearly complete but I needed a human test subject to judge how the nanoprobes would behave in your bodies. If I’m going to infect the whole of your species then I need some benchmark data, which you provided me with. I can now complete my study since you have returned yourself to me,” said Ven Dath. Finally Trip understood the whole plan, he’d just been a guinea pig. Ven Dath planned to cripple the human race before the main attack by infecting everyone with nanoprobes so that all their technology would be disabled. No one would be able to use any technology, which included weapons, the Xindi would be able to walk right in and destroy the planet without even a fight.

“What I don’t understand,” continued Ven Dath, “is why you didn’t come back when you were called the first time. The ship that Enterprise destroyed was sent to return you to me, you should have left of your own accord but you didn’t. Why was that?”

Trip knew why, he’d been fast asleep thanks to Phlox’s knockout drops and his friend’s concern that facing a Xindi attack would be too much for him to cope with. Now the nanoprobes weren’t controlling his actions he wasn’t about to answer.

“No matter if you don’t want to tell me. The nanoprobes I’m going to take from your body will give me the information I need. Shame really, I could have fun making you tell me,” he said and pressed another button on the remote control again. Trip jerked as electricity coursed through his body. It didn’t make him feel any better that he knew exactly how the nanites were converting his body’s own energy to use against him. He almost laughed when a small voice in his head apologised for causing him pain, the nanites were still talking to him.

“I didn’t think you’d want to make life easy for yourself,” said Ven Dath. He went to a table and came back with a large needle. “This won’t hurt a bit,” said the smiling Xindi. Trip just wanted to punch him in the face but he still couldn’t move. He used his anger to blunt his fear as Ven Dath put the needle into his arm and extracted a small amount of his blood. “I see that someone has done this before,” said Ven Dath looking at the fading bruise on Trip’s arm where Phlox had inserted a needle earlier. “We wondered how Enterprise managed to destroy the ship we sent, I think that I now have an answer to that question.” Ven Dath removed the needle and transferred Trip’s blood into another container.

“While you’ve been on Enterprise the nanoprobes have been collecting information on your ship for me and my colleagues. It will only be matter of time before they identify the weaknesses and we destroy your annoying ship for good,” said Ven Dath.

“You’re lying,” said Trip, but he knew that Ven Dath could be telling the truth. He just didn’t know enough about the nanoprobes to be able to make a judgement.

“You’ll be pleased to know, Commander, that I’ve made further developments to the nanoprobes. The latest generation not only disable technology they destroy their host from the inside out after accomplishing their objective. Or at least I think they do, to be honest I’m looking forward to testing those out on you to see if they work how I expect them to. I have a few more tests to perform before we get to that though.” Ven Dath pressed the button his remote control box again and Trip cried out as electricity ran through him. This wasn’t torture for information, this was just vindictiveness, a desire to cause his human captive pain.

“You bastard,” said Trip, gasping from the pain. “I’m not going to help you destroy my people!”

“You don’t have a choice, Commander. You already have,” said Ven Dath and pressed the button on the remote control again.

****

T’Pol worked on the biometric scanner while Reed and Mayweather covered her. The access panel they had located in the corridor was tucked away in a dark corner and T’Pol was having trouble seeing what she was doing. The subdued lighting also made it harder for her guards to spot potential targets and she was well aware that every second she had to take to reprogram the biometric scanner made it more likely that they would be found.

“How much longer is this going to take?” whispered Reed, slightly impatiently.

“I am nearly done,” said T’Pol. “Perhaps you think that you could do it more quickly,” she added. Reed said nothing and checked the settings on his phase rifle again.

Mayweather thought he saw movement further down the corridor but when he looked again it wasn’t there anymore, he was getting jumpy and he knew it. The sooner they got out of here the better as far as he was concerned. Reed and T’Pol both looked completely calm and he didn’t know how they did it.

“It is done,” said T’Pol a few minutes later. Reed opened the door and the three Enterprise crewmembers entered the airlock, phasers at the ready. The room was bathed in red light and had no windows, it was only just big enough to fit the three officers in. Reed pressed the button that closed the door behind them and they waited while the scanner did its work. An indicator beside the door counted down the time until the scan was completed. A monitor on the wall displayed the biometric information in spiky Xindi script as it was collected.

“Fingers crossed,” said Mayweather.

“I suggest you keep your fingers on your weapon, Ensign,” replied T’Pol.

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Mayweather. His eyes were glued to the monitor beside the door which would tell them if the scanner had been fooled and accepted that they were authorised personnel. If they were discovered in the airlock, they wouldn’t have a chance to shoot any Xindi who came for them. At the moment they were trapped, their only hope was that T’Pol had managed to convince the scanner that they were Xindi scientists.

The count down completed. A green Xindi symbol flashed up on the screen beside the door.

“I hope that means all clear,” said Reed. He positioned himself ready for the door opening and T’Pol took up position behind him.

They heard the bolts in the door click back with a reassuring thud and the door began to open slowly with a hiss of hydraulics. Reed didn’t wait for the door to open more than a crack before he took the shot that was offered to him of the Xindi reptilian guard. As the first guard fell, T’Pol was already firing on the second guard who followed his companion down to the floor.

The three officers headed down the corridor at a jog towards the computer core. They reached the door and encountered two more Xindi reptilian guards. The guards were taken completely by surprise and Mayweather and Reed took them down in short order. T’Pol was already working on the code pad for the door into the computer core room as Reed and Mayweather stepped over the bodies of the Xindi guards.

T’Pol had attached Commander Tucker’s electronic lock picking device to the key pad for the door and it was now scanning through all the available codes. It beeped to let her know that the lock was now picked. She nodded to Reed and Mayweather that it was safe to enter. Reed pulled the door open and suddenly an alarm was sounding loudly and red lights started flashing all around them.

Reed swore loudly. “Sub-commander, get started on downloading the information. Travis and I will hold off any Xindi who turn up.”

T’Pol nodded. She was the technical expert, it was the logical course of action that they protect her while she carried out the mission. She quickly made her way over to the nearest terminal and began cracking the defences of the computer core. By her estimation it would take several minutes to gain access to the files they wanted and then more time after that to download the required data depending on the size and amount of files. If the outpost was as well defended as they had been led to believe from their scans then it couldn’t be done; two men couldn’t hold off a complete Xindi garrison.

T’Pol heard phaser fire emanating from the doorway and realised that something would have to tip the balance in their favour if they were going to make it off the base with the information. She pulled out her communicator as she worked. “T’Pol to Hayes,” there was no point maintaining radio silence now that they were discovered.

“Go ahead,” came the terse reply from the MACO Major.

“Major, we have reached the computer core but have encountered resistance. We require a diversion. Are the explosives ready to detonate?”

“Nearly, Sub-commander, but if we detonate them all you’ll be killed. Even if we only detonate some of them then you’ll be trapped,” said Hayes.

“We will find an alternative route,” said T’Pol. “Detonate the low yield explosives and leave the rest until you have reached the cell ship. By that time we should have left the outpost, if we have not then you should consider the mission a failure.”

“Understood, Sub-commander,” said Hayes.

“Await my signal. T’Pol out,” she said. “T’Pol to Enterprise.”

“Enterprise, go ahead T’Pol,” said the familiar voice of Captain Archer too quickly, as if he had been sitting waiting for them to call.

“Captain, we have encountered resistance. I suggest that you position Enterprise for a quick departure,” said T’Pol.

“Okay, but we have another problem. Commander Tucker stole a shuttle and went down to the moon. We think he was under the influence of the nanoprobes. It’s likely he is being held somewhere near you.”

“We may not have time to find him and leave with the information we are collecting,” said T’Pol.

“I understand, T’Pol. The computer files are your top priority but if you can, find Trip and bring him back with you.” T’Pol could almost hear the emotion in Archer’s voice as he gave her the order to treat Commander Tucker as an item of secondary importance.

“Acknowledged, T’Pol out,” she said. She looked at the piece of equipment that she was using to crack the computer’s security, it was stalled. She would have to use the computer codes provided by Commander Tucker. She input the codes into the computer and she was into the required files. She expertly tapped on the computer’s keys and began the download. She looked over at the door to where Reed and Mayweather were firing on all Xindi comers. She went to join them while the computer finished its work. She fired her phase pistol at an approaching Xindi as she squatted down beside Lieutenant Reed.

“I have contacted Enterprise. There has been a further development, Commander Tucker stole a shuttlepod and has come down to the surface,” said T’Pol.

“What?” said Reed in disbelief. “The stupid fool. What the hell was he thinking?”

“The Captain believes he was being controlled by the nanoprobes,” said T’Pol.

“I hate being proved right,” said Reed as he snapped off another shot with his phase rifle, taking down a Xindi insectoid.

“As do I,” said T’Pol.

“I guess I’d better go and get him,” said Reed. “Can you help me with a location?”

“The Captain’s orders are that we retrieve the data first and if we have time we try to locate Commander Tucker. Major Hayes will be detonating some of the low yield explosives to create a distraction that should enable us to escape. We will not be able to return the way we came, we will have to find an alternate route back to the cell ship.”

“We can’t just leave the Commander behind,” said Mayweather.

“We may have no choice,” said T’Pol.

“Can you locate where they’re keeping him?” asked Reed again.

“Yes, I believe so,” said T’Pol.

“Do it. If it’s anywhere near our route out I’ll go get him, the two of you carry on without me. Get out with the data, I’ll catch you up,” said Reed.

“Your plan is acceptable,” said T’Pol.

“How much longer before we have the files?” asked Reed.

“A few minutes,” said T’Pol. She went back to the computer terminal to check the download’s progress and locate the Commander. “He is being held in one of the labs further down the corridor,” she shouted back to Reed. “It is not a substantial diversion from our optimum exit route.” She downloaded the map onto her padd to give to Reed when it came time to leave.

“Sub-commander, we can’t hold this position much longer,” Reed shouted back.

“The download is almost complete,” said T’Pol. She flicked her communicator open, “T’Pol to Hayes, now Major.” She shouted over to Reed and Mayweather, “take cover,” before hurling herself behind a bench. There was a distant series of explosions which were followed by a nearer set of explosions and then a final explosion which was closer than the previous two. Most of the Xindi outside had been knocked off their feet by the explosion and several had been killed. T’Pol grabbed her equipment from the computer terminal, noting that the download had finished exactly when she had predicted.

“Let’s go,” she said to Reed and Mayweather who were picking themselves up off the floor and dealing with any Xindi who showed any signs of moving. They headed off down the corridor, Reed taking point again. The explosions had brought down a lot of rubble and dust hung heavy in the air. All three members of the away team were coughing, but they didn’t have to time to stop and rest.

T’Pol handed Reed the padd onto which she had downloaded the map. “Please don’t be long, Lieutenant,” she said. “Remember the explosives are set to detonate in thirty minutes.”

“Don’t worry, Sub-commander, I don’t intend to take a second longer than necessary,” said Reed and disappeared down a side corridor at a dead run.

T’Pol and Mayweather continued towards the alternative exit that T’Pol had identified. Both of them desperately hoped that it wouldn’t be long before Reed was following them.

Continue to Chapter 22

Return to Chapter 20

Back to Fan Fiction Main Menu

Have a comment to make about this story? Do so in the Trip Fan Fiction forum at the HoTBBS!