Darkness Unfolding - Part 4

Darkness Unfolding

by The Watch Stander

AN: Hope this is beginning to come together. It’s really fun writing in installments since you find out ahead of time if it makes sense!

Disclaimers in Part 1

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Trip was holding a cup of coffee as he entered the turbo lift. He was still irked that Daniels had excluded him from the discussion. Archer had gone along with the request and Trip was sent packing, so to speak.

What ever Daniels’ reason for being here, it won’t be to our good. Last time we went along with him we were almost killed. Just hope Jon doesn’t get talked into anything foolish.

He had decided to leave Malcolm in charge of the bridge and was on his way now to engineering. At least there he could release some of the frustration he felt about being left out.

Earlier Malcolm had advised him that the black nebula that Archer wanted them to go around was only a few light years away. They would reach the very outskirts later that day.

Luckily Captain Archer had decided to go around it and not take any chances, for once putting the safety of the ship and its crew ahead of their mission. Nebulas always gave Trip the willies. He hated the very thought of being inside that thing where at any minute everything could go wrong at the same time.

Once back at engineering, Trip checked his office. He found work orders on his desk from his crew chief. One of the repairs required working in a Jeffries tube, so Trip decided he’d do that one himself. It would give him some time to think and not be bothered by anyone. Gathering up his tools, he left for the area where the repair was needed.
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Lt. Reed sat in the Captain’s chair watching the approaching nebula ahead of them. As he stared at it, he tried to fathom exactly what Daniels was up to. Trip had told him he’d been left out of the conversation with Daniels, so there was no further information coming from that quarter. It would be up to the Captain to decide if he wanted to share the information garnered from Daniels.

Up ahead of Enterprise, the Black nebula made know its presence. The thing was huge and foreboding as its black clouds of gases seemed to swirl and reach out for Enterprise. Just looking at it gave Malcolm goose bumps.

It certainly is evil looking.

"Travis, make sure we are far away from the edge of that Nebula, I don’t want to get sucked into it."

Travis smiled to himself at the Lt’s terminology, "Yes, Sir."

He then added the extra distance to their heading that would keep Enterprise further away.

Reed was still concentrating on the nebula when a sudden lurch in the ship almost ejected him from his chair.

"Travis! What the bloody hell was that?"

Travis looked dumbfounded, "I don’t know, Sir." He checked his scanners again. "It was some kind of space anomaly. We must have passed through it. It’s no longer registering."

Reed tried to look calmer then he felt. "I bloody well hope so."

"Hoshi, damage reports?" He asked.

"They’re coming in now, Sir. There’re injuries as well," she added.

"Damn!" Reed then sighed, "let me hear them."

This is not going to be a good day.

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Archer was just about to leave the mess and head back to his quarters when the anomaly hit. Daniels was on his way as well to his newly assigned quarters. The two men were knocked off their feet, but Archer recovered quickly and made it to the comm. "Archer to bridge! What’s happening?"

"Lt. Reed here, Sir. Seems we went through an anomaly. No one saw it coming in time to avoid it."

Archer digested that slowly as his brain was working on overtime. He’d been way too long without sleep. A good nights rest would give him a clear head to think about what Daniels had asked him to do.

"All right, keep me informed, Lt. Send a list of damages and injuries to my quarters."

Daniels was frustrated when he realized what the shaking was caused by. He hadn’t planned on this happening so soon. The prior time line was starting to bleed into their present time period causing a space time warp. It was only going to get worse if he didn’t do something.
I’ll have to get to my ship and see if my equipment is starting to malfunction. This shouldn’t be happening this soon.

"Captain, I need to go to my ship. I need to check something. "

Archer looked at him, "All right, but a Maco will accompany you. Your ship is also being guarded, so don’t try anything."

Daniels nodded then hurried off to the shuttle bay. The Maco that was assigned to him followed close behind. Archer had called Hayes earlier and had several men assigned to watch both Daniels and his ship.

Archer watched the men leave then headed for his own quarters. There he could check the list of damages as well as injuries to the crew.

He just might not get that sleep that he so desperately needed after all.
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Trip was working in the Jeffries tube when the anomaly passed through the ship. He had just gone up the ladder and was in the process of opening a panel when the ship lurched and he fell backwards unable to grasp the ladder in time. He fell to the floor below and managed to roll slightly when he landed so as not to hit the back of his head. Unfortunately, the side of his head made contact with the floor and the impact left him dazed. As he lay on his side he thought he saw someone coming down the tube toward him. It was a man carrying a toolkit. What seemed so odd was that the man didn’t seem solid, but transparent. It made no sense.

A bigger shock followed. He recognized the apparition.

It was him!

Dizziness swept over Trip and he finally passed out.

It was some time later that he came to and after several attempts managed to get unsteadily to his feet. He held onto the ladder as he touched the spot that was throbbing on his head. His hand came away bloody.

"Great!" he said to no one.

It would mean a visit to sickbay, but first he had to get back to engineering and check on what had happened. Leaving his toolbox behind, he slowly made his way back down the tube to engineering. His head was still throbbing reminding him of his recent impact with the floor. It would have to wait though, Enterprise came first.

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TBC

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One person has made comments

*shudder* scary, i'm guessing the timelines merging caused the appiration of a second Trip?

gr8 story so far :) keep up the gd work.